Here at the McDonald Group, we talk to a lot of people who would like to add solar energy to their homes but aren’t sure where to start. Next month, Northwest Portland residents interested in renovating their homes with solar technology can learn more about the process with free workshops and question and answer sessions organized by Solarize Northwest, a project formed by the Neighbors West-Northwest Coalition. At the Solarize Northwest workshops, the coalition is able to provide residents with estimates and tips for Portland-area solar installation. The contracted solar supplier will also visit houses of interested residents for free site estimates. Those interested in taking part in the program must sign up for a site estimate by March 31.
The full schedule of workshops is on the Solarize Northwest website.
Upcoming Workshops:
–10 a.m., Saturday, March 5 at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, 1015 N.W. 22nd Ave.
–6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 31 at Friendly House, 1737 N.W. 26th Ave.
Upcoming Q & A Sessions:
–6:30 p.m., Monday, March 7 at Chapman Elementary School, 1445 N.W. 26th Ave.
–6:30 p.m., Monday, March 14 at Friendly House
–6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 22 at Chapman Elementary School
–7 p.m., Thursday March 24 at Umpqua Bank, 1139 N.W. Lovejoy St.
Thanks to new regulations that took effect on New Year’s Day, Oregonians can now take advantage of lease offers from contractors to install solar panels and eliminate upfront costs. The Portland branch of SolarCity, a major national solar company providing residential solar panels, announced a lease program today that will allow Portland area homeowners and residents of the entire state of Oregon to install alternative-energy solar panels for low monthly payments. This new lease program allows homeowners to enjoy the energy-bill slashing qualities of solar instantly, rather than waiting for the payoff on the initial investment to kick in after a few years. If you’re buying a home in Portland, renovating a historic home, selling your home and looking for ways to make it competitive in the Portland real estate market, or just looking for ways to update your home and reduce your carbon footprint, this new deal is definitely worth a second look.
Pacific Power and Portland General Electric are devoted to providing Oregon homes with a diverse range of renewable energy sources, including wind, water, and solar power, in order to make the system as sustainable as possible. It’s just one more way Portland and Oregon are setting out to make the state the greenest in the country. In a few years, new and old homes for sale in Portland will be seeing a substantial percentage of their utilities coming from renewable sources, which is definitely something to be excited about.
Upgrading your home with smart water use, and energy efficient appliances, weatherization, and fixtures is a great first step if you are looking to buy a fixer-upper in Portland or Portland-area suburban real estate, and its also a great way to increase the value of your home if you’re looking to sell a home in Portland. Real estate agents are focusing more and more on the potential energy benefits of the homes they are representing, so if you need tips on how to make the most of your home’s energy uses in order to successfully sell your property, or if you’re looking for a Portland home that has been remodeled for smart energy use and sustainability, contact the experienced McDonald Group Real Estate agents today.
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