How do solar panels affect buying a home in the Inland Empire?

Three ownership types change the deal. Owned panels convey as a fixture with no monthly bill to transfer. A solar loan is a lien on the property, so the seller typically pays it off at closing or the buyer agrees to assume it. A lease or PPA keeps the panels owned by the solar company, and the buyer must take over a 20 to 25 year contract, pass the company's credit check (often requiring a score around 650 to 680), and sign a transfer that can take weeks. Since January 2025, Fannie Mae rules require the lease payment to count in the buyer's debt-to-income ratio, which shrinks the pool of buyers who qualify. Net metering status attaches to the system, not the owner: systems interconnected before April 15, 2023 keep the generous NEM 2.0 tariff for the rest of its 20-year term, while newer systems on NEM 3.0 are paid roughly 75 percent less for exported power. The Inland Empire's solar-heavy market means all three setups are common. Julian Cesar pulls the solar agreement and NEM status before you make an offer, so there are no surprises at closing.