Selling Your Texas Home With a
Solar Contract: What Your Options Are

Most solar leases allow transfer, but require the buyer to qualify financially — typically a credit check with a minimum FICO score set by the lease company. The buyer also has to be willing to take on the remaining term. Transfer requires the lease company’s approval and assumption paperwork, generally processed before or at closing.

The seller has three main options: pay the buyout amount to terminate the contract before closing; resolve the contract through legal review if there are grounds; or terminate the home sale and re-list once the solar contract is addressed. Which option makes sense depends on the buyout amount, the urgency of the sale, and whether there are legal grounds to review the original contract.

UCC-1 financing statements are filed against the solar equipment, not against the home. Title companies sometimes flag these filings during title work; the buyer’s lender may require subordination or release. Release of a UCC-1 generally requires resolution of the underlying obligation. The lien itself does not ‘block’ a sale, but the title company’s or lender’s requirements often must be addressed before closing.

No. Continuing to make payments is generally the safest course of action until a qualified Texas-licensed attorney has reviewed the documents and provided specific advice. The decision to stop making payments must only be considered under advice and representation of a qualified attorney. Stopping payments may result in default, damage to credit, collections, or other consequences that may complicate the home sale.

Texas Tax Code §11.27 provides a property tax exemption on the added value of an owned solar system. The exemption transfers with the property to a new owner. Leased systems do NOT qualify for the exemption. If the property tax assessment included a §11.27 exemption that the system did not actually qualify for, that may be a separate issue worth reviewing.

Texas REALTORS publishes a Solar Lease and PV System Addendum. Many Texas listings use it. The form documents the type of solar contract, payment terms, and transfer requirements. A clear disclosure reduces buyer-side surprises and protects the seller from later claims of nondisclosure.

If the solar contract was signed on or after September 1, 2025 and the homeowner is still within the 5-business-day cancellation window, the contract can typically be cancelled by sending written notice to the cancellation address in the contract. SB 1036 applies regardless of whether a home sale is in progress.

Initial intake review timing varies by case but is generally organized within 1–2 weeks. For homeowners with active home sales under contract, that timing may need to be coordinated with the option period or closing date. The intake form on this page asks for context about timing.

Yes. Submitting an intake is free. If the matter meets initial criteria and the law firm accepts it, the homeowner enters a fixed-fee engagement directly. The fee is disclosed up front before the homeowner agrees to anything.

Time-sensitive situations should be reviewed promptly. Submit the intake with a clear note about the closing timeline. The intake team may be able to prioritize the review. Realistic expectations matter: a legal review on a two-week timeline is constrained, and parallel paths (negotiating buyout, negotiating with the buyer, extending closing) may need to run simultaneously.