‘They’ve got you covered’: In outage-prone Houston, Tesla-powered homes promise to keep the lights on — but there are pros and cons to this new technology

How solar homes are tackling power outages

The Oaks of Shady Acres offers energy self-sufficiency with Tesla solar shingles. These solar shingles work with Tesla’s Powerwall home battery storage to make the homes self-sufficient. The homes also come with electric vehicle chargers.

“Residents benefit from free, clean energy while also profiting from surplus power sold back to the grid,” said a sponsored article about the project.

As of late last month, five homes were still up for sale. Fallon claims that although the builder, Utopia Homes, is using Tesla technology, the backlash against Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not hurting demand. Utopia is a subsidiary of Goldman Investments, which calls Tesla a partner on its website.

“We have honestly had no issues with Trump and Musk backlash. In fact, I had over 150-plus people at my brokers’ open. It was insane, people were very excited. Houston is an oil and gas place, so having the first Tesla-powered homes is unheard of,” Fallon told Realtor.com. She said buyers are mostly interested in reliable power.

“Who cares who is in office when you don’t have power? Houston has had a huge issue with electricity because we’re not on the national grid. So when we lose power, we’re out for five days,” she told Realtor.com. “While we are big on oil, gas and generators, now people are seeing that they can have Tesla-powered homes at similar price points.”

The larger homes have an asking price of $544,900 while the smaller models are priced at $524,000. This is well above Houston’s median list price of $330,600, according to Realtor.com.

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Weighing the pros and cons

If you’re looking to install a solar system at your home, a 30% federal tax credit is available, although it’s not clear this will be maintained by the current administration. Costs can vary considerably depending on where you live, the company that you choose, how much battery storage you need and other factors.

Some of the pros of a solar system? According to SolarReviews, a service that helps homeowners with the solar buying process and matches them with installers, solar energy not only helps to reduce your electricity bill — or even eliminate it or make you money in the case of a surplus — but is also low maintenance and offers energy independence. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly.

Some of the cons of solar include a high upfront cost and the potential for higher property taxes and homeowners’ insurance. SolarReviews says based on the median home value in the U.S., homeowners can expect solar panels to increase their annual property taxes by between $160 and $630, but around 30 states, including Texas, offer property tax exemptions. You can check if your state does here.

If you want Tesla solar shingles like the Oaks of Shady Acres, you’ll need to replace your entire existing roof with a Tesla solar roof, which will run you more than $100,000 even before you consider the cost of a battery. Tesla's premium solar roofs are not for homeowners that prioritize return on investment and value for money, according to SolarReviews.

Your roof may not be suited to panels due to being blocked by shade, old, small or weak.

Customers should also research solar companies thoroughly before taking the plunge since many Americans have been victims of scams in recent years.

Energysage says the average U.S. homeowner will save about $50,000 on electricity over the lifetime of their solar panel system. SolarReviews says that most homeowners can break even on their solar investment within 10 to 12 years.

Fallon believes that solar homes will become the new standard for Texas and hopes other jurisdictions follow suit. “What legislation we have in Washington is going to dictate it,” she told Realtor.com. “But going toward clean energy is where I think the country is headed. I think there is a mindset shift happening.”