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Re:Timeshare Owner? The Mexican Drug Cartels Want You by ghaff on Thursday September 26, 2024 @11:06AM (#41659251)
While not completely reliable, a lot of high pressure sales tactics are one pretty good flag. At least around where I live the residential solar scammers are back to knocking on doors again--in addition to being camped out at the big box hardware stores.

Commitments, in general, are also just something to be wary of. Whenever I've considered buying a small urban property to complement my rural house, I lie down and contemplate this thing called hotels as an alternative--which are a heck of a lot more flexible in many ways.

Re:Timeshare Owner? The Mexican Drug Cartels Want You by alexey-salmin on Thursday September 26, 2024 @01:02PM (#41660724)
Thanks! What's the deal with residential solar scams? Is it a pure hit-and-run or something more sophisticated? Like you don't own the panels, but they are on your property, you can't get rid of them and get out of the lease?
Re:Timeshare Owner? The Mexican Drug Cartels Want You by ghaff on Thursday September 26, 2024 @01:17PM (#41660876)
I haven't looked into it deeply. But there are a lot of complicated financing arrangements, somewhat nebulous maintenance requirements, and unknown future technology transitions. I see the huge industrial solar farms where I live and it's hard for me to believe that a handful of panels (that don't actually provide me with battery backup which would cost even more and probably wouldn't make sense in New England) pencils out financially. For context, my electrical bill is <$200 month so there's no way the realistic payback is anywhere near 10 years.

Maybe new construction makes more sense but I've been told probably not even in that case in this area of the country.