SolarGaines

Late adding the review, but want to make sure to give Solar Gaines 5 stars. We had a system installed in April 2019 and it's been fantastic. They made a great first impression in that when we called for a quote, they treated this like any other home improvement project. They didn't send a salesman, they sent someone who would spec out what needed to be done and give us an estimate, not a hard sell. Through-out the process they were great to work with and had someone on staff who worked all the paperwork on our behalf to get the tax credits and even followed up with the county months afterward to fully confirm we were on the property tax credit wait list. Between the cost avoidance and the SRECs, we're basically cash flow neutral with a 100% financed system... eventually we pay off the loan and it's just free electricity. Great local company, professional and easy to work with, stop reading reviews and just go get your solar system installed!

I had my solar system installed in early June and started it on June 21st and wanted to see how my system performed before I wrote my review. I cannot be more pleased with every aspect of the sale, installation and performance of my system. The sales consultant, Paul Miller, was able at answer all my questions and did not pressure my at all to purchase the system. The installation crew did a fantastic job and it took only two days to install the 36 panels and hook-up the inverter to my home's electric system. It took about two weeks before the utility came out to install the net meter. The SolarGaines office staff submitted all the paperwork necessary for the meter and all the state and county rebate programs. I have already received my $1000 check from the state. As for the performance, the system provided all the electricity I needed for my house all summer. In addition I have put about 150kWh back on to the grid during that period of time. I highly recommend using SolarGaines to install your solar system.

SolarGaines was a great company to deal with. The process of getting my system installed was very quick and smooth. They did a good job with all of the paperwork and permits. They were willing to adjust the system design whenever I had any concerns, and this resulted in a really good looking system. Also, their pricing was much better than the 4 other companies I got pricing from.

I started my journey in solar by doing alot of research of the course of about at year here and there. I contacted almost every installer in the area and was surprised that only about half got in touch with me. I first chose another company and was so unsatisfied with the sales and design team that I stopped working with them. Then SolarGaines. The whole process was wonderful. The sales staff listened to what I wanted and didn't go for the hard sale or try to sell me what they wanted on my house. The designers were great as well. Communication from the office team regarding billing, utility forms, tax paperwork and everything else was great. The installation team showed up early and were wonderful. They were neat and appeared that they enjoyed their job. No issues with workmanship or materials. When it was all done it was like they were never here aside from the new system. My system was commissioned in the middle of my BGE billing cycle and I just paid my first post install bill, $10.49. I highly recommend SolarGaines.

8.86 KW system - Solar Edge system.

From the first sales contact to finally flipping the switch on the system, the Solar Gaines team (front office to installer) did a timely, professional and cost-effective installation of our solar electric system. There was never a time when I did not know what the status and schedule of the project was. It was a truly seamless process - unlike many construction projects.

After researching several options for a rooftop solar installation in my area, SolarGaines came in with not only the best price, but also the best equipment and the largest system capacity for my application. Being DIY oriented, I'm always hesitant to bring in outside contractors, because they rarely take the time and attention that I would if I were doing it myself. This was NOT a problem with SolarGaines, I was very impressed with the quality of their work, attention to detail and the friendly nature of the team that did the install. In addition to the above, here are some other things that stuck out to me that lead me to recommend SolarGaines: - Quick communication (via email, their project portal or by phone) - Completed the project quickly (was something like 3 days (consecutive) to install 42 panels and 2 months in total from start to finish (vast majority of time is spent waiting on government entities and power suppliers) - Does not deal in PPAs - A small thing, but to me this speaks to their commitment to their customers, since in my opinion PPAs are really for the benefit of the installer and not the end user. - There is a lot of confusing paper work for various incentives, permits, SRECs, etc. They do it all for you, so no worries there.

Beware of using SolarGaines. Their prices are low for the Baltimore,Washington area. However, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I had several issues come up with SolarGaines: 1. A price was agreed to in writing with their sales representative. This price was suppose to be all inclusive and it was agreed that I could charge the project to my credit card for no additional fee. However, 2 weeks later when it came time for me to pay, they charged me an additional 3% for using a credit card. By that point, they had already taken my down payment for the project. The sales rep basically told me I could pay the additional 3% or cancel the project. 2. When the panels were installed, I was told that the inverter they purchased was not working properly and would need to be replaced. I was promised my system would be up and running within a week. When I called the project manager 4 days later, he told me that "he forgot to order the new parts but he would try to get to it that afternoon." He said shipping the new parts would take about a week. When I requested that the replacement part be overnighted, they said "no". Kinda sad that I'm paying tens of thousands of dollars for solar panels and they won't spend a couple bucks to fix the faulty parts they ordered. 3. They left the room near my circuit breakers a mess. The framing around the circuit breaker box was half ripped off, and the wall was not fully repaired nor repainted. When the billing department asked for final payment, I said I was withholding payment until the job was finished. I guess that was an incentive for them to finish the job. I was promised they would come on Monday. I stayed home from work to wait for the crew, and received a call 5 minutes before they were suppose to come that they were not able to come that day because they were finishing up another project. I was told they would call to reschedule. The next morning at around 11am, I get a call that the crew is waiting outside my house...no warning or scheduling. My room finally got fixed (they did an okay job, not great), but the project was poorly managed from beginning to end. 4. Once the job is done and they are paid, the company seems completely unresponsive. I reached out to them for some assistance filling out the forms to sell SRECs and received no response. With all that being said, I gave them 2 stars because it seems like they did a decent job installing the panels. Just be warned that dealing with them is a pain.

Really fast and clean installation. Solar Gaines strive to make the process as easy as possible to their clients.

After shopping many Installers and do it yourself systems I chose Solar Gaines. I spoke with Logan who was very helpful and fun to work with guy. He didn't want to lose a sale so was very competitive in pricing. I was ready to buy from another company when I got a price that could not be beat. Rain was our biggest problem, causing delays. Install took 3 days, it rained on 2 of the day making the crew leave early. Matt was a pleasure to work with answering an question I had.The office department was good to deal. Meter swap out was quick.system is working better than PV watts estimate.

First and foremost is this company is beyond organized. From sales to installation and support, SolarGains is head and shoulders above the rest. I had multiple leasing companies try to have me sign a lease with them. For some reason I felt that something was just not right about a leased solar system. That’s when I contacted SolarGains. I scheduled an appointment at my house with Logan Burke. This guy was exceptional. Professional yet laid back. He laid the numbers out for me to decide whether buying was the right choice. In the end buying a system was way more cost effective and affordable than leasing hands down. My solar credits come to me and not the leasing company. This can be anywhere from $800 to a few thousand dollars per year depending on the size of your system. A nice little payment for going solar. My electric bills were ridiculous. Anywhere from $300 to $500 per month. I can say that after 30 days of running my system my electric bill was only $120 and that was just the begging. I am now selling electrical back to the power company for credits which I can use during the winter when the sun is out less hours per day. Even with getting a bill from the electric company and paying my loan for the system I am still saving about $250 a month and the savings will just get better as my system produces more electricity. I am very satisfied with my decision to buy over lease. It’s really a no brainer. If you are in the market to get on the solar wagon then Solar Gains is an absolute must. You will not be disappointed. Thank you to the entire SolarGains staff for your exceptional and persevering work. I will recommend you to anyone that wants to go solar. Thanks again.

Solargaines definitely earned my business. Logan prepared my design and made it easy for me to choose high quality products. The office support enforced my confidence that I had made the right decision. The install was easy and the close out meeting gave me all the information I needed. If you are considering going solar, do it with Logan and Solargaines.

If you live in their work area I would definitely recommend SolarGaines. However, before deciding on ANY installation, make sure your property is clear of any permitting issues. Also, if you're doing a ground mount make sure the area complies with local government rules. These two things held up my install. It was not SolarGaines' fault. Also, if you choose a financing option make sure you understand that your 30% federal tax credit does not get sent to you all at once unless your individual financial situation warrants it. Double check the language in any loan offer you get.

I searched the internet for negative reviews about Solar Gaines and found none so I decided to go with them. They did a first class install and on time. There office manager ,Sara was really on the ball with all communication e-mail or payments received. very satisfied Allen G

The team of SolarGaines provided us with an excellent service throughout the process of the installation of our solar power. From the initial phase of exploring possibilities, through getting the panels installed and ready to go. During the installation process, Sara was making sure the required paperwork was ready and filed, so that the hook-up to the grid happened quickly after the roof installation finished. Thanks Carson, Sara and Mike for the great experience. Would surely like to recommend SolarGaines to other customers! Jeroen

Originally we decided to purchase the material and hire an installer for our needs after talking to several companies. We thought we could save over 30% to 40%and get higher end equIpment with more panels with what other companies were quoting us at the time . So I started calling around installers and found solargaines. They only install their own equipment however. After talking with them, they were knowledgable, their choice of inverter was solaredge which has a good reputation and they sold the mono panels. Their pricing was much better than any other company was offering and made us reconsider doing it ourself (aka purchasing equipment and hiring contractors). I had done a lot of research prior to our talks and after talking to their salesman I realized that there were tax rebates that I would more than likely never see because of the backlog of applicants. That honesty caught my attention because every other salesman stated otherwise. Their quote was lowest of the 4 companies that visited per kilowatt. The install was quick and professional, compared to other houses the aesthetics are quite pleasing. They were capable of offering a bridge loan until our rebates come and their warranty is much better than doing it yourself. We thought that the extra money we paid by having them do it was worth it for their guarantee, warranty, knowledge, paperwork, bridgeloan, and their installation. The whole experience was pleasant and I would recommend to family and friends.

SolarGaines was great. I first started looking at Solar through the really big company, who clearly has a substantial marketing budget and was focused on a leasing arrangement. I then came across Dividend Solar, which does solar financing. They connected me with SolarGaines, who is their installer in my area. I checked the reviews on this website and saw that SolarGaines got great reviews. So I contacted them. They were extremely professional from start to finish. No hard sell - just a quote with a savings breakdown and there to answer any questions. To buy from them would be far less than from the really big solar company, and buying seemed to make a lot more sense then leasing. Once the papers were signed, they set up a project management website so that I could see where in the process they were at all times, their onsite staff was very courteous and always made sure that we were happy with any decision (such as where the conduit was located), and they handled all of the paperwork (including helping us get registered for Solar Renewable Energy Credits).

Very accommodating and friendly. Professionally installed and excellence customer service. Pricing is very competitive. Guide through the whole process.

I talked to several companies about solar panel installation, and I selected Solar Gaines for the following reasons: -Solid parent company that is very competent and experienced in the solar industry -13.7 cent/kWh production guarantee, which is the highest I have seen (all companies I have read in their contracts are around 8.5 cent/kWh -Best price in terms of $/W I have encountered among companies -Included high quality inverter that can monitor on a per panel basis -Provided excellent details on how they manage repair work orders They are very flexible to work with in terms of scheduling for installation. The project manager I worked with is very knowledgeable and detailed. He discussed conduit runs to ensure it was aesthetically appealing and necessary components that need to be installed in order to pass county building codes. The project manager always returned my calls for any questions in a timely fashion, and their administrative team is very helpful for filing all necessary paperwork so that permits and tax incentives are filed in a timely fashion. Overall, Solar Gaines has been a great company to work with from project design, installation, to commissioning.

Solar Gaines was our favorite company from the beginning of our search for residential solar installation. The salesperson was not pushy, but was instead informative and empowered my wife and I to make the best decision for ourselves. Installation was swift and efficient, and the panels look beautiful. They have been quick and helpful in responding to follow-up questions, and customer service has been pleasant. This is a terrific company, and I strongly encourage anyone who is looking into residential solar installation to try Solar Gaines.

We thought SolarGaines did an incredible job. The installation went incredibly quickly, on-time, and on budget. We have recommended SolarGaines to our friends. Will

System now seems to work fine. Only problems: 1 worker did not come as scheduled nor notify me he would be unable to be there--would have liked notice; 2nd problem, leak in basement shop where DC disconnect was installed. To their credit, SolarGaines kept trying until they got it fixed.

SolarGaines gave solid advice, discussing installation and financing options and post-installation support. I was happy with every aspect of the installation process: -Very good information packets -Responsive -Highly professional -Quick and trouble-free installation In the sub-ratings, I gave everything a 5/5 except quality of advice (4/5). It looks like we may have oversized our system relative to our needs (although we haven't had it for all seasons, yet). Also, while the certification and approval process is out of their hands, it took 6 weeks, which was a bit longer than I had expected.

There was a bit of a learning curve for my county, but overall, they were very responsive, and were quick to correct any issues that came up.

Solar Gaines did an outstanding job of installing our solar system. Clean wiring and an excellent roof install

We worked with Jim Cusick. He was great. I could email or call about anything and he would get N answer for me. The installation crew worked with my schedule and once everything was approved they got it done quickly. They were a very nice group to work with and I would use them again. I have recommended them to 2 other people already. Jim was not a pushy salesman and we liked that a lot. He answered most of our questions before we even knew if we wanted to go through with solar. He tried to find us the best way to finance as well. All around great job by all at Solar Gaines. We also liked that they were local and called from local numbers not 1-800 numbers like solar city who then sold our info.

I researched a lot prior to going with solar gaines, at least I think so. From the beginning with sales from Mr. Cusick, to the install, to the final inspection and turning the system on. I have been extremely pleased. There were some problems with paper work. All of which were with the electric company (go figure ), but that was handled with dedication by Sarah, who also kept me totally in the loop with each and every email correspondence with the electric company. I am veer passed and recommend solar and solar gaines to every one who aka or talks about going solar.

SolarGaines did a nice job from start to finish for us. We decided to purchase our system, both to be able to customize the size and panel selection, and to be able to own the system rather than lease it. I would recommend SolarGaines to friends and family who want to 'go solar.' SolarGaines is a professional, knowledgeable and friendly organization, who installed a well designed system for us, and assisted us with the related paperwork.

Very professional. Overall work excellent. Took them less than 4 month from and we start generating free energy from the sun. Highly recommend SolarGaines.

We are very pleased with the quality of service we received for the addition of solar panels to our home. From the initial contact with Colin to the completion of the project, Solar Gains employees were professional, informative, and competent. We sincerely appreciate the way you conduct business and have recommended your company to others because of our satisfaction with your service. We are thrilled with the fact that our solar panels are paying for themselves and knowing we are making an difference with clean energy.

I would Recommend SolarGaines to anyone that inquires of my source. I have had several people review my system and like what they see.

My wife and I chose SolarGaines out of all the other installers we met with because they knew their hardware, their pricing was competitive, they were professional and courteous, and they took care of the entire process, including permits, installation, financing, and SRECs. While I did a lot of research on my own, they were happy to field any questions I had at any point in the process. The system has been installed for several months now and so far we've gotten the performance expected out of the panels - now we only pay a couple dollars in fixed fees for electrical service from the grid. The panels and support structure are solid and we've had no leaks. The inverters and electrical box were installed neatly right where I asked, and we haven't had to touch anything for it to work (other than to see how much we're producing!). My only complaint would be against BaseCamp. BaseCamp was advertised to us as a website where we could keep track of the progress of our installation and meetings/visits would be scheduled. They never really used BaseCamp, and the one time they did put installation dates on the calendar online, they were incorrect. We worked around this with a few simple phone calls, no problem. It would have been simpler without using BaseCamp at all. All in all, I would definitely recommend SolarGaines as a solar installer. We are very satisfied with our purchase.

In early 2015 I explored a number of residential solar installation options. I selected Solar Gaines for the installation and was thrilled with the experience. They were open and transparent about the options for the system and their dividend solar program was an excellent financing option for us. The install was well planned and timely and their support through sales, purchase, install and post install support has been exceptional. I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a residential solar installation.

Very pleased with the entire project. The Salesperson was very professional at all times. The installation went according to schedule and the system is overperforming the estimates. It's nice to see my electric bill continue to be more and more negative every month! Follow-up has been exceptional. I wholeheartedly recommend SolarGaines to anyone.

Very professional, knowledgeable, and delivered on their quote/expectations.

The system continues to work well going on 5 years now.

Put up the maximum number of roof panels with support electronics with a minimum of fuss, construction, and price. Great paperwork support. Then continued active support even for problems with Pepco although outside of their responsibility.

Solargaines performed their install on-schedule as they said. Unfortunately PEPCO took extraordinarily long to complete their part. To their credit SolarGaines continued to contact PEPCO after the install was complete and complete payment was made.

I was very pleased with the service I received. The sales department was informative without being overbearing. Once I decided to purchase the system they handled the permitting process and scheduled everything. Installation only took about a week. The administrative office handled all communication with the power company, and kept me in the loop. When everything was complete my electric bill was a fraction of what it had been. I'm very happy with the system and I would recommend Solar Gaines to anyone interested in solar power.

All of the representatives of SolarGaines were very professional. Our initial consultation with Colin Gload was very informative and the process for gaining permits and installation went smoothly. Everyone did their best to answer questions and address our concerns during installation and worked with a positive attitude. The installation crew was respectful of our home and took their time to make sure it was done right. The crew takes pride in their work and made some adaptations to the plan to create a system that would work most efficiently for us.

SolarGaines did a wonderful job from start to finish. Every time the sun comes out I get excited to be making money!

In August of 2014 we had SolarGaines install a Solar Array on our 1978 Ranch Home that has 2800 sq ft. The 7.5 kW Solar PV array is comprised of 30 panels with 20 panels facing 155 degrees and 10 panels facing 245 degrees. There are two strings connected to a Sunny Boy SMA 6000TL-US-22 inverter with Standby Power Supply (SPS). The SMS inverter was retrofitted with the Speedwire connection and is attached to a TP-Link 150Mbps Wireless N Router connected in bridge mode to our DSL router. Providing real time updates. SolarGaines performed the installation and we could not have been more pleased. From the initial contact to signing the agreement to installing the array to filling out the paperwork for tax credits and SRECS - SolarGaines was there every step of the way. They were professional and were able to work with my busy schedule. Background: This is the second home that I have had both Solar PV and Solar Hot water installed on. The first was in 2009 and that home was sold in 2012. We strongly believe in "saving green and going green" and we are glad SolarGaines was there to help.

We went back to SolarGaines for another 24 panels only a year after completion of our original 42 panel array. Both are ground mount arrays with Solarworld mono panels. We are very pleased with the service and attention SolarGaines provided (hence why we returned to them for more business).

There were many criteria we considered before going solar: 1) Financial, could we afford it? This one turned out to be a no-brainer. The savings from our utility bill already outweigh our monthly loan payments, without even taking into consideration the periodic SREC checks we receive. We've been cash flow positive since day 1. 2) Aesthetic, would the panels blend in with the design of our house? As it turns out, the panels look really cool on our roof. 3) Emotional, there's definitely a sense of pride and accomplishment when the sun shines and we see the power we're generating and sending back to the grid. 4) Complexity of the process, we know nothing about selecting an installer, deciding on the types of panels, financing the system, how to get the 30% investment tax credit, etc. And this is exactly why SolarGaines and Dividend Solar were the perfect choice. They took care of everything. It was perfectly seamless. From engaging the installer, to preparing all the paperwork, providing us with the financing, ensuring the system was inspected timely, and everything in between. It couldn't have been easier and we could not have made a better choice.

Everything about the company was excellent. As with any major project, there were a couple of speed bumps, but they were handled professionally and as quickly as possible. I recommend them to anyone who asks.

I've had my 10.5kw system (ground mount) for almost a year now. It is performing above what was forecast. The best part of SolarGaines was their relationship with the local county inspector - they knew exactly what was needed to make the inspections go smoothly. Additionally, they were able work with me with my unique needs with my old farmhouse. The contract was straight forward, and I'd say that due diligence is necessary when reviewing to ensure project scope is captured. That's good for both parties to ensure everyone understands what work is being done and not being done. I did have 1 SNAFU where there was some fault in the system which shut it down. Unfortunately, I only knew about it when my next electric bill came in because I don't have a monitoring system. They were on-site within 3 days to check the system and reset it. Also, they've mentioned some aftermarket monitoring device that would make it very easy to detect if there was a problem with the array and are working with me to ensure I don't have another period of 0 generation. Overall - very responsive, PROFESSIONALS (as in, this is not a franchise or some kind of weird financing scheme), have a dedicated sales and admin staff as well as installers. The senior staff of the business came out to say hello when I dropped off some signed docs - evident they are interested in their customers. Almost forgot - they took care of EVERYTHING for the paperwork - all the grant applications, inspection paperwork, EVERYTHING. It was extremely easy for me, just had to sign from time to time. And at the end of the project, they gave me a 3 ring binder with all the pertinent info in it, cleanly wrapped up. Very satisfied. I have recommended them to my friends and will return for any future expansion projects.

I chose Solar Gaines to install my solar panels (out of 7 others) because it met all of my needs. They are honest, reasonably priced, and informative. Solar Gaines designed a system that fits my need for best energy production without over-producing. Where other companies designed a system that that maximize my roof space, Solar Gaines actually advised me against putting too big of a system that would produce way over my estimated annual energy usage. In other words, Solar Gaines made less money in our arrangement because they wanted to design a solar system that was right for my family. That means a lot to me and speaks very highly of their moral and value of putting the clients first.

Having had an array for years I decided to switch from oil heat to electric. Needing more capacity added onto my existing array proved somewhat troublesome since most installers will not add to an existing array. Solargains said "No problem". Installed the panels I wanted in the configuration I wanted. Handled all permits and had me off heating oil expenses. Gotta love no electric or heating bills!!! Thanks Solargains. Great installer to work with.

Solar Gaines installed 26 panels on my roof and I could not be more satisfied with their professionalism and doing what they said they would do and when they said they would. Earlier I had some panels on my garage by a different company and I was disappointed with the way they treated me and promises they made that they could not keep.

Do your homework… Not all solar companies are the same. My review of SolarGains: The person who came to my house for the estimate (Colin Gload) was very knowledgeable in every aspect of the equipment, the tax benefits and the Pros/Cons of purchase vs lease. There was no hard sell. SolarGains used highly rated 275w panels that were made in the USA and adds a SolarEdge Power Optimizer to each panel. SolarGains’ estimate ---with better panels, and solar optimizers—was still several thousand dollars cheaper than SolarCity. The install was fast and they cleaned everything up. The office staff helped process all the state and federal grants, and the tax paperwork. The company did a great job. I had to edit it---to make it fit so my review might be choppy. Background: I decided to install a solar array and researched everything ahead of time so I could ask intelligent questions. I narrowed it down to 3 companies who were the biggest and had the best reviews in the area. I told all three that I was getting estimates from the other two. I saved SolarCity for last---expecting Elon Musk’s company to beat out the other two hands down (they didn’t). They had a professional presentation, but once that was done, I felt like I was at a used car dealership---hard sell. I was installing a pretty large 14kW array. I made it clear that I was looking for the biggest bang for my buck---not the BEST money can buy. The Return on Investment (ROI) would take forever if you get the very best money can buy. SolarCity tried hard to sell me their premium panels. The difference of about 10watts/panel prohibitively increased the cost and the time to ROI. I guess if you have unlimited funds, and you are only doing this to Save the Planet—you might go for the very best money can buy--- I wanted to Save my budget—not the world. I asked SolarCity about was Solar Optimizers. I did not know about Solar Optimizers until my Estimate from SolarGaines. SolarCity does not use them! They made up an excuse that they decreased output of the panel. Once I researched them I decided they are very important. What do Solar Optimizers do---and Why should you want them? It is simple, each panel is guaranteed to deliver the watt output or more for what you paid for (ex 275watt). They are warrantied to have no more than a certain small percentage decrease over time. Simple Example: I have 50 panels on my house. If 49 of them are working at Spec and 1 panel is only delivering 50% of what it should, that 50% decrease in 1 panel would be averaged over the 50-panels—(if you were only able to measure total output for the array). This is what SolarCity promotes. Averaged over 50-panels, you would never know that 1 panel is failing or not up to spec. Keeping the math simple---Each panel is about 2% of your output, so I lost 1%. That 1% averaged over the remaining 49 panels does not appear significant. A panel could have no output and you would not see it. But you PAID for it. The Solar Optimizer is a box that is attached to each panel and measures the output of that panel. The Output of each panel shows up on a Webpage. I already benefited from the optimizer. One of my panels was underperforming by 33%--it was identified and SolarGaines fixed it. Next on the list of questions to SolarCity-- Battery Backup. I will not go into too much detail on this, because when I was shopping in Nov 2014--- the Musk Battery was not available. They marketed it like it was, but it wasn’t. I cannot say anything about the current battery, but I was quoted $14k for a battery system that could run “most of my household needs” for 1 day. Considering a Whole House Generator can run ALL of my house hold needs for as long as the power is out and cost less than $14k—that was not a great option. FIGURE out if the battery is worth it to you, it was not for me. Other Thoughts and Comments: If you can take advantage of the Tax Credit--- you are much better off buying the system than leasing it. If you lease it for 20-years and need to sell your house before the lease is up--- you have to convince the buyer to assume your lease. That might cost you the sale of your house if the buyer is nervous about the lease. SolarCity started off with a hard sell for the premium panels and leasing it. If you lease it, SolarCity takes the 30% tax credit, not you. I could use the tax credit—so buying was the best option for me. Hope this review helps….