The new development of 11 three-story separate townhouses in Houston has a commitment to energy self-sufficiency in a city that may be unreliable. Each three-bedroom home comes with a Tesla solar roof and batteries.
According to Khou 11 journalist Ron Treviño, this is the first product of its kind in the United States – the builders promise “if for any reason, they can stand out in Houston.”
Texas is the only state that does not belong to the National Power Grid. Instead, it has its own grid of powers – but that means that if anything goes wrong, it can’t draw on powers from elsewhere.
The tendency to hit it with aging infrastructure and severe weather events, which can lead to frequent power outages that last or longer. In fact, Texas experienced 210 weather-related disruptions between 2000 and 2023, according to the Climate Center, more than any other state.
“Because our grid is so bad and we lost power for several days in a row, we have people who lost all the groceries,” Jaime Fallon, sales director at Nextgen Real Estate, told Khou 11.
Dark acres of oaks provide energy for self-sufficiency through Tesla sun rods. These sun rods can be used with Tesla’s Powerwall home battery storage to make the home self-sufficient. The homes also come with electric car chargers.
A sponsored article sponsoring the project said: “Residents benefit from freedom, clean energy, while also profiting from surplus electricity.”
As of last month, five homes are still for sale. Fallon claims that despite the fact that the builder Utopia’s home is using Tesla technology, strong opposition to Tesla CEO Elon Musk has not hurt demand. Utopia is a subsidiary invested by Goldman Sachs, which calls Tesla a partner on its website.
“Honestly, we have no problem with Trump and Musk’s opposition. Actually, I have over 150 people at the Brokers Open. It’s crazy and people are very excited. Houston is an oil and gas place, so it’s unheard of to have the first Tesla-powered home,” Fallon told Realtor.com. ” She said buyers are most interested in reliable power.
“Who is in the office when there is no power who is in the office? Houston has a huge problem with electricity because we are not on the national grid. So when we lose power, we go out for five days.” “While we are important to oil, gas and generators, people are seeing that they can own Tesla-powered homes for similar prices.”
The larger home is asking for $544,900, while the smaller model costs $524,000. That’s well above Houston’s median $330,600, according to Realtor.com.
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If you want to install a solar system in your home, you can offer a 30% federal tax credit, although the current government is not clear about this to maintain. Fees may vary depending on where you live, the company you choose, the amount of battery storage you need, and other factors.
Some advantages of the solar system? According to Solarreviews, the service helps homeowners conduct the solar purchasing process and match the installer, and solar not only helps reduce electricity bills, it can even eliminate or make money in excess—and is less maintained and provides energy independence. Also, this is environmentally friendly.
Some of the drawbacks of solar energy include high upfront costs and higher property taxes and the potential for homeowner insurance. Solarreviews said that based on the median home value in the U.S., homeowners can expect solar panels to increase their annual property tax between $160 and $630, but about 30 states, including Texas, are tax-exempt. You can check if your state is doing it here.
If you want Tesla solar panels (like dark acres of oaks), you’ll need to replace the entire existing roof with a Tesla solar roof, which will allow you to earn you over $100,000 before even considering the cost of the battery. According to Solarreviews, Tesla’s premium solar roof is not suitable for homeowners who prioritize ROI and value for money.
Your roof may not fit the panels as it is blocked by old, small or weak shadows.
Since many Americans have been victims of scams in recent years, customers should also do a thorough study of solar companies before they make a plunge.
Energysage says that over the lifetime of solar panel systems, the average electricity for U.S. homeowners will save about $50,000. Solarreviews says most homeowners can even invest in solar energy in 10 to 12 years.
Fallon believes solar homes will become the new standard in Texas and hopes other jurisdictions follow suit. “The legislation we have in Washington will determine that,” she told Realtor.com. “But moving towards clean energy is where I think the country is moving forward. I think a mindset is taking place.”
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is without any warranty of any kind.
