ESP Works with Pearl Certification to Capture Higher Home Values with Solar Installation
Here at ESP, we’ve found that Pearl Certification is very appealing from the perspective of both realtors and appraisers. Read on to see some of the other benefits of Pearl Certification, specifically in the solar energy industry.
One of the many features that helps set Energy Service Partners above the rest is our accreditation with Pearl, an industry-approved, third-party program that certifies homes for their energy efficiency. Pearl rewards homeowners for making upgrades, such as solar installations, that help save energy, augment comfort, and ultimately, increase property values. Certifying upgrades is an excellent way to protect the value of a home and the owner’s investment in solar energy.
Premier Contractors
Pearl-certified contractors are known as the cream of the crop! They are renowned in the industry for providing the highest quality of work and service. To become a Pearl contractor requires advanced training and qualifications that help develop unrivaled expertise about homes and energy efficiency. The credibility Pearl certification offers is invaluable, especially as a solar installer.
An Unparalleled Network of Partners
Pearls works with well-known and trusted partners including the Department of Energy, the National Association of Realtors, Energy Star, and the Appraisal Institute, the country’s largest association of real estate appraisers. Pearl holds a licensing agreement with the Appraisal Institute that enables them to populate their certification report with a Green Features Addendum that helps document and reinforce the benefit of the work completed.
A Seamless Process
Homeowners receive their certification at the conclusion of the job that the contractor has performed. Once the contractor completes the information and shares it with Pearl, homeowners will receive a Certification Report and a Pearl Certification Certificate within two weeks. The homeowners can keep—and even display—the certificate to show that the upgrade has been completed.
Assistance for Homeowners Looking to Sell or Refinance
Pearl has dedicated homeowner, customer service and real estate teams in place to help customers looking to sell or refinance their home. If you have a homeowner that mentions a plan to sell or refinance, Pearl’s real estate team can work directly with them to make sure they’re maximizing the value of their certification report.
The Pearl Solar Equity Calculator
The Pearl Solar Equity Calculator is an excellent tool that can be used to show customers how much value a solar installation can add to their home when they refinance or sell. There is a discounted cash flow calculation where you enter five fields of information to receive an estimate and range of value for what a system can add to a home. The equity valuation there is also included in the Certification that goes out, so whether or not the team uses the direct calculator when the homeowner gets their Certification Report, there is an appendix that features an equity valuation table that gives the estimates both year after year, as well as a low and high range.
Two Primary Goals of Pearl Certification
Pearl has two goals when working with their contractors:
1. To help you build trust with customers.
2. To help you build value for customers.
Pearl’s reputation for its elite network of contractors helps build trust with customers. The Pearl Certification Report builds value, as it translates the work contractors perform into a dollar value for their homes. Pearl also provides contractors with a sample Certification Report that can be shared with customers before installation to show them exactly what a Certification Report will look like once the installation is complete. This provides customers with a preview of how the work contractors do will be documented and the value it might bring.
Energy Service Partners is a Pearl Certified installer and is one of the top solar companies in California, is ready to work with you, whether you’re interested in referring or selling in California.