"SMS" wrote in message
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On 1/29/2015 6:19 AM, trader_4 wrote:

snip

If we sell the house, the $18K is basically lost. There may be a slight
increase in value of the house but probably not.

I don't see why that would be. I'd certainly pay more for a house
with solar power.

I don't live in a normal city. In the sub-division I live in, most of the
houses were built in 1963. These are not luxury homes, they are very plain
tract houses, less than 2000 square feet, that sold for about $25K when
they were new. They presently sell for around $2 million. An $18K solar
system would be lost in the noise. Buyers are bidding up the prices and
paying cash. I could not buy a house in my city anymore, just the property
tax would be $2000 per month.

The $18k would add to your basis, reducing your capital gains taxes. A
small comfort.