Buying a home is one of the most significant and rewarding decisions you can make. As of January 2020, Californians will have the added exhilaration – and potential stress – of acquiring a rooftop solar panel system at the same time. 

That’s because the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) approved a state-wide mandate requiring most new single-family homes, including multi-family residential buildings up to three stories, to install solar panels. The first-of-its-kind California solar mandate is designed to make new homes in California far more energy-efficient while saving homeowners tens of thousands of dollars on electricity costs.

To help people understand what it means to buy a new home with a solar energy system, EnergySage created the California Solar Mandate Guide: an educational resource for knowing what questions to ask prior to buying a solar-powered home. But before we dive into our tips and suggestions, let us first explain why paying a bit more for your new home just to have solar on it makes a ton of sense.