Barrett Henry, MRPFlorida receives more solar energy per square foot than nearly any other state, and Tampa Bay's housing stock reflects that reality. Homes with rooftop solar are listed and sold across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Hernando counties at every price point, from starter homes in Riverview to officer-grade purchases in South Tampa. For veterans shopping with a VA loan, solar panels are neither automatically good nor automatically bad. What matters is understanding the key distinction, owned versus leased, and acting on that information before you write an offer.
When a homeowner owns their solar panels outright, the panels are part of the real property, a fixture attached to the home that conveys with the sale, just like the HVAC system or the kitchen appliances. The VA appraiser evaluates the system as part of the property, the title company confirms there are no outstanding liens related to the solar installation, and the transaction proceeds normally. Owned solar is the simplest scenario and the one where VA loans face no structural obstacles.
When a homeowner leased their solar panels, the dynamic is completely different. The solar company owns the panels, retains the right to access them for maintenance, and has typically recorded the lease agreement against the property title, creating what title professionals call a "cloud" on title. VA loan guidelines require clear, marketable title to the property. A recorded solar lease agreement is an encumbrance that stands between the current title status and the clean title your VA loan requires.
This is not a theoretical concern. Solar lease complications are one of the more common reasons VA transactions in Tampa Bay require additional negotiation after the contract is signed, and they are far easier to address before the offer is submitted than after both parties are under contract and racing a closing deadline.
Very common. Florida's solar industry grew rapidly between 2015 and 2022, and much of that growth was driven by solar lease and power purchase agreement (PPA) products that allowed homeowners to go solar with no upfront cost. The solar company installed the panels and charged the homeowner a monthly payment (lease) or a per-kilowatt-hour rate (PPA) in exchange for the energy the system generated. Many of those agreements are still active, and many of those homes are now for sale.
In Tampa Bay's 2026 resale market, it is not unusual for 10% to 15% of listings in certain ZIP codes to have a leased solar system recorded against the title. Veterans who don't know to ask about solar before making an offer discover the issue at the title commitment stage, days after a contract is signed and earnest money is deposited. At that point, the options are narrower and the pressure is higher.
When a home you want to purchase with a VA loan has a leased solar system, there are three main paths:
Option 1: The seller pays off the lease at closing. Solar lease buyouts in Florida commonly run between $12,000 and $40,000 depending on the age, size, and remaining term of the system. If the seller agrees to pay off the lease as part of the transaction, the title can close clear and the panels become owned property that conveys to you. This is the cleanest resolution, but it requires the seller to have sufficient equity to absorb the buyout, not always the case, particularly on homes purchased in 2019 to 2021 when solar installations spiked and home values were lower.
Option 2: You assume the solar lease. Most solar lease agreements include a provision for lease assumption by a new buyer. The solar company must approve the transfer, which requires a credit check and approval process that takes one to four weeks. If approved, you take over the monthly lease payment for the remaining term, sometimes 15 or more years. VA lenders treat the monthly lease payment as a debt obligation for qualifying purposes, adding it to your debt-to-income ratio. Before agreeing to assume a solar lease, understand the monthly payment, the rate escalator provisions (many leases include annual payment increases of 2% to 3%), and the total cost over the remaining term. A VA-experienced buyer's agent can help you evaluate whether the energy savings justify the ongoing obligation.
Option 3: Walk away from the transaction. If the seller cannot afford the buyout and the lease assumption terms are unfavorable or the solar company rejects your application, the transaction may not be viable. Depending on how your contract is written, your earnest money may or may not be recoverable. Having a buyer's agent with VA experience identify the solar lease issue before the offer is made, and negotiate the resolution terms into the contract, is far better than discovering it mid-transaction.
Considering a Tampa Bay home with solar panels? Barrett Henry, MRP, at REMAX Collective knows how leased and owned solar systems interact with VA loan requirements, and how to protect your offer before a solar complication derails your closing.
Call Barrett at (813) 733-7907 or schedule a free consultation, solar is one of the most commonly mishandled issues in Tampa Bay VA transactions, and a few questions upfront prevents a lot of pain.
VA appraisers in the Tampa Bay market are required to describe the solar energy system as part of their property analysis and to address whether the system affects the property's market value. The appraisal methodology for solar-equipped homes depends on the availability of comparable sales with similar systems and the appraiser's judgment about how the local market responds to solar.
In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in 2026, solar is prevalent enough that appraisers have a meaningful dataset of solar-equipped comparable sales to work with. Owned systems on homes with newer roofs and reputable equipment brands (SunPower, LG, Panasonic, Enphase) tend to contribute positive value, the rule of thumb in Florida's market is that solar adds roughly $10,000 to $25,000 in appraised value for a typical 6 to 10 kilowatt system, though results vary significantly. Systems with older or less-proven equipment, systems on homes with aging roofs, or systems that are at the end of their equipment warranty may add little or no value in the appraisal.
For leased solar, the appraiser's treatment is more complex. The lease payment represents a monthly obligation, and if comparable sales in the area don't reflect consistent willingness to pay a premium for leased solar, the appraiser may conclude the lease has a neutral or negative effect on value relative to an equivalent home without solar. This is particularly relevant when the lease payment is high relative to actual energy savings, an issue on older systems signed at unfavorable rates.
Several of Tampa Bay's major production builders have begun offering solar as either a standard feature or an upgrade option, particularly in communities in Wesley Chapel, Parrish, and Riverview where the community's energy efficiency positioning is a marketing asset. In most new-construction contexts, the solar system is included in the purchase price and financed through the VA loan, meaning it is owned, not leased, and becomes part of the home you are purchasing. This is the most favorable solar scenario for VA buyers.
However, some builders offer solar through a partnership with a solar company that installs the system under a lease agreement rather than as a purchase. Before signing a builder contract that mentions solar, confirm explicitly whether the system is included in the purchase price (owned) or provided through a third-party lease. A lease that starts with the first owner and runs with the property can create complications for future buyers, including VA buyers, when the home is resold.
Our complete guide to buying new construction in Tampa Bay with a VA loan covers the builder contract review process in detail, including the questions to ask before signing about what is and isn't included in the purchase price.
Yes, if you are buying a home without solar and want to add a solar system as part of your VA purchase, the VA Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) allows you to roll energy improvement costs into your VA loan above the purchase price. VA EEM limits for solar and other energy improvements are capped at the lesser of the actual cost or the energy savings capitalized over the life of the improvement. This can be a powerful option for veterans who want to own their solar system from the start rather than inheriting a seller's lease.
The VA EEM can also be used as a standalone refinance product for veterans who already own their home and want to add solar without a cash-out refinance. Our full guide to the VA Energy Efficient Mortgage in Tampa Bay covers the qualification criteria, how to add solar into a purchase or refinance transaction, and what documentation the VA requires.
Before writing an offer on any Tampa Bay property with visible solar panels, take these steps:
Veterans looking for Tampa Bay homes, with or without solar, can search the full MLS inventory at NowTB.com, which provides complete listing details including property age, construction features, and neighborhood context that helps narrow the field before you commit to a showing. Your buyer's agent can then flag solar lease issues before you write an offer rather than after.
If you need pre-purchase repairs done before or after closing, including roof work that a solar inspection uncovers, Best Bay Services handles handyman and roofing work across Tampa Bay and is a resource Barrett Henry recommends to veteran clients navigating pre-close condition requirements.
For more on what the VA appraisal process looks like once you're under contract, including how appraisers handle atypical property features like solar, see our guide to what to expect from the VA appraisal in Tampa Bay.
Solar panels in Tampa Bay are increasingly the rule rather than the exception. Veterans who understand the owned-versus-leased distinction and know the right questions to ask before making an offer are in the best position to use their VA loan benefit efficiently, without losing time, money, or deals to complications that could have been identified in advance. Call Barrett Henry, MRP, at REMAX Collective at (813) 733-7907 to talk through any property you're considering.
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This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
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Yes, a VA loan can be used to purchase a home with a solar panel system, but the details of how the solar system is owned matter significantly. If the seller owns the solar panels outright (purchased in cash or financed through a home improvement loan that will be paid off at or before closing), the panels are treated as part of the home and the transaction proceeds in a straightforward way. If the solar panels are leased, the seller entered a long-term lease with a solar company that retains ownership of the panels, the lease is a lien or encumbrance on the property that must be addressed before the VA loan can close. The VA appraisal and title review will both flag a leased solar agreement, and the resolution options are limited and sometimes deal-ending.
Leased solar panels mean a third party, the solar company, owns equipment attached to the seller's roof and has a recorded agreement giving them the right to access and maintain that equipment for the lease term, which commonly runs 20 to 25 years. That agreement is a cloud on title. VA loan guidelines require clear, marketable title to the property, and a solar lease agreement recorded against the property can prevent that standard from being met. Even when the lender and title company are willing to work with a solar lease, the VA appraiser must confirm the lease terms are reasonable and do not unreasonably encumber the property. In practice, most Tampa Bay lenders require that a solar lease either be transferred to the buyer (which requires the solar company's approval and the buyer's acceptance of the lease terms) or paid off by the seller before closing. Lease payoffs on 20-year solar agreements in Florida can run $15,000 to $35,000 or more, which significantly affects negotiating dynamics.
For owned solar systems, the VA appraiser considers whether the market recognizes solar panel value in comparable sales. In Tampa Bay's 2026 market, owned solar panels, particularly newer, fully warranted systems on homes with hip roofs in good condition, generally contribute some positive value to the appraisal, though the dollar-for-dollar contribution of solar to appraised value is typically less than the installation cost. The appraiser identifies solar panel comparables where available and uses judgment when they aren't. For leased solar systems, the lease payments create an ongoing cost obligation that can actually reduce appraised value because they represent a liability the buyer assumes. An appraiser reviewing a home with a leased solar system will consider the net financial impact of the lease, the energy savings minus the lease payment, in their analysis.
Not directly, VA's Minimum Property Requirements focus on the safety, soundness, and sanitation of the property, and a properly installed solar system doesn't create an MPR issue on its own. However, the VA appraiser is required to note the condition and type of the solar system as part of the property description, and any visible condition issues, damaged panels, brackets that appear improperly attached to the roof, or evidence of roof damage related to the solar installation, can create additional inspection or repair requirements before the loan can close. In Florida, where roof condition is already heavily scrutinized by lenders and insurance carriers, evidence that a solar installation caused any roof penetration damage or deterioration is a significant concern. Veterans and their agents should request access to the solar system's warranty documentation, installation permit, and most recent inspection record before making an offer on a home with solar.
Before submitting an offer on any Tampa Bay home with a rooftop solar system, ask the seller's agent to confirm: (1) whether the system is owned or leased; (2) if leased, the name of the solar company, the monthly lease payment, the remaining lease term, and whether the seller is willing to pay off the lease at closing; (3) if owned, whether the system is paid off or financed through a home improvement loan, and if financed, what the outstanding balance is and whether the seller will pay it off at closing; (4) the age, size (in kilowatts), and manufacturer of the system; (5) whether the installation was permitted and inspected by Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco County; and (6) the most recent utility bills to assess actual energy savings. Getting clear answers to these questions before making an offer takes less than 24 hours and prevents the most common solar-related transaction failures Tampa Bay VA buyers face.
Barrett Henry, MRP
Broker Associate, REMAX Collective · Military Relocation Professional
Barrett helps Tampa Bay veterans and military families buy homes using their VA benefit. Son of a U.S. Air Force veteran with 23+ years of real estate experience. Learn more →
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