More Rockford homeowners make the switch to solar to boost property value

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - There’s always a way to boost your home’s equity, and many Rockford area owners are doing it by harnessing the energy of the sun.

“Even if you didn’t care about the environment, your payback period is pretty quick,” said Connie Wenger.

Like many homeowners, Connie Wenger has a mile long list of improvements she wants to make to her house. Adding solar panels was just one of the first she decided to check off her list.

“It’s the right thing to do. I’ve got grandchildren,” said Wenger. “Why wouldn’t I do anything I could to make the earth a better place for them?”

Aside from doing something positive for the environment, or cutting the cost of her electricity bill, there’s another reason Wenger wanted to invest in energy-powered panels.

“Once we found out about all the rebates available, it was an affordable thing to do,” Wenger said.

These rebates are the reason many Rockford homeowners make the switch to solar. Area housing experts said it adds to the property value and can be a fairly quick return on your investment.

“We found that our system cost about $15,000,” said Keller Williams Realty Broker Associate, Tina Eisler. “With our rebates, it was well worth it.”

According to recent solar research from Zillow, property values on homes with solar panels jump 4.1% more than homes without solar panels. That’s a boost of nearly $92 hundred on a home that’s more than $226 thousand.

“I thought, just what was that payback period? I was actually floored when I saw it,” said Wenger.

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