When you invest in solar panels for your home, you’re making a smart decision that reduces your energy bills and increases your property value. But how do buyers and lenders actually know about the improvements you’ve made? That’s where PEARL comes in.
PEARL (Pearl Home Performance Rating) is the national standard for measuring and certifying home performance. Think of it as a comprehensive report card for your home that goes far beyond what photos and listing descriptions can show. While traditional real estate focuses on square footage and finishes, PEARL evaluates what really matters for long-term comfort, safety, and operating costs.
Think of PEARL as a comprehensive report card for your home that goes far beyond what photos and listing descriptions can show. While traditional real estate focuses on square footage and finishes, PEARL evaluates what really matters for long-term comfort, safety, and operating costs.
Key Points
- PEARL is a national home performance rating system that scores every single-family home in America across five categories: Energy, Safety, Comfort, Operations, and Resilience.
- Your solar installation directly boosts your home’s PEARL score in the Energy category, but public records often lag behind your actual improvements.
- PEARL reveals what traditional listings can’t show by measuring the factors that actually impact your monthly costs, comfort, and long-term home value.
- Research shows that homes with verified performance ratings sell faster and command higher prices because buyers can see objective data instead of relying on seller claims.
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How PEARL Measures Your Home
PEARL evaluates homes across five critical performance areas:
Energy – This is where your solar installation shines. PEARL tracks your home’s energy generation and storage capabilities. This includes solar panels, battery backup, EV charging infrastructure, and overall energy consumption. Your solar system directly improves your PEARL score in this category.
Safety – Protection against health hazards like mold, radon, carbon monoxide, and poor air quality.
Comfort – How well your home maintains proper temperature and humidity year-round. This includes insulation quality and noise reduction.
Operations – The efficiency of your home’s systems working together. This covers everything from HVAC to water heating to smart home integration.
Resilience – Your home’s preparedness for major weather events and climate risks. Backup power systems like solar + battery storage fall into this category.
Why PEARL Matters for Solar Customers
Here’s the challenge many solar customers face: public records can be years out of date. When you add solar panels to your home, that upgrade often doesn’t show up in county records or MLS listings right away. This means potential buyers, insurance companies, and even lenders might not know about your investment.
PEARL solves this problem by giving you a way to set the record straight. When you claim your home in the PEARL registry, you can update outdated information and showcase your solar installation properly. This improves your PEARL SCORE and ensures the market sees your home’s true performance and value.
Bottom Line for Solar Homeowners
Your solar installation represents a significant investment in your home’s future. PEARL certification ensures that investment is properly recognized and valued:
Better resale value – Buyers can see objective data about your home’s energy performance instead of just taking your word for it.
Faster sales – High-performing homes with verified PEARL scores stand out in competitive markets.
Lower operating costs – PEARL provides projected monthly energy bills so buyers understand the financial benefits.
Competitive advantage – While other sellers rely on curb appeal, you have hard data showing superior performance.
When you work with us to install solar, we’re not just adding panels to your roof. We’re improving your home’s overall performance rating. PEARL certification helps ensure you get full credit for that improvement, today and when it’s time to sell.
Why Choose Strawberry Solar
Local design expertise: We know Michigan roofs, weather, and utility rules, and we design clean systems that look good and perform well.
Ownership‑friendly guidance: We are an authorized Michigan Saves contractor and can help you choose financing that keeps resale value in mind.
Strong warranties and monitoring: We offer trusted equipment, workmanship coverage, and system monitoring so you can easily document performance.
Documentation you will actually use: We assemble permits, as‑builts, warranty details, and a simple performance summary so you are prepared for appraisal and sale later on.
Get a FREE solar installation quote
Start today and boost your home resale value!
