MAP, if you are in an HOA, then that is a controlling issue and checking with the board is your first step. We are right now installing a rooftop system on a second home in Bristol. The client contacted me over three years ago and wanted an array installed mainly because they had an array on their Sudbury home and wanted the same on their eventual retirement home. It couldn't be done at that time because of HOA restrictions. Recently one of the original board members retired and one of the first changes made thereafter was a relaxation of the solar restriction. The installation we are doing is all black and on a charcoal shingled roof, it will look good and as is often the case I would expect to gain some additional sales in that hilltop neighborhood of beautiful homes.
Biggd, there are only two ways that I know of where a solar array is a detriment to a home's value, leased solar systems or systems that are not designed with an eye toward the final aesthetic. Leased systems became popular when Elon Musk's cousin formed Solarcity around the leased array concept. They would install an array on your roof for free and you as the client agreed to buy power for along term at a set rate. The rate was usually lower than the utility rate, and because there was no upfront cost a lot of folks were drawn into this sort of arrangement. There were two problems with this, first if the utility rate went down you would actually be locked into paying more for the solar power than you would for the utility rate. Second, and this is the big one, you would now have a large mechanical system that you didn't own on the asset of your home. The theory was that the new home buyer would assume the Solarcity contract, but in reality most people would consider a home with a leased system as heavily encumbered and simply walk away. Leasing of solar systems flashed for a few years but soon died away and you rarely hear anything about the company that at one time dominated the solar industry. As far as aesthetics go, yes there are plenty of butt ugly systems around and some could certainly be considered a detriment to a home's value ...but none will have my name on it. My mantra is that if I don't want to see an array design on my own home, then I won't install it, even if it will produce beaucoup power. As you motor around the lake you may notice some of my installations, but then again maybe you won't because that it the look I shoot for. Photos of some of these arrays can be seen on the Google page for NH Solar.
I had three former clients in this area sell their homes last year and all three sold quickly and at their asking price ...well actually two did. The third was a home near Den Brae in Sanbornton, it was listed on a Thursday and had two over asking bids by Saturday. The best part was that when the sale went through the original owner not only got back the full gross cost of the system, he also pocketed both the 30% ITC and the PUC rebate.
I do however agree with your statement about location being paramount, a new solar system on a decrepit or poorly located property is just lipstick on a pig
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