The short answer: yes – and now there's hard data on it

For years, "solar adds value to your home" was something installers said and buyers sort of believed. Now we've got the numbers.

In 2025, property data firm Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) analysed more than six million Australian homes, with support from CommBank. Its Watt's it Worth report found homes with solar are valued around 2.7% higher than comparable homes without it. That's an average uplift of about $23,100 nationally. (Cotality)

Importantly, Cotality compared like-for-like homes. So the premium isn't just "nicer homes happen to have solar." It's solar itself pulling its weight.

How much could solar add in your city?

The uplift varies around the country. Here's what Cotality found in the capitals where Zelora installs:

Source: Cotality, Watt's it Worth (sales data to April 2025), via pv magazine Australia and Cotality.

The biggest premium of all was in regional Northern Territory, at 6.9% (around $31,350). (pv magazine Australia)

Put another way: a typical solar system can cost well under the premium it's linked to in many markets. Want to see what a system would cost and save on your roof? Get your free solar estimate.

It's not a one-off finding

Cotality's numbers line up with other research:

• Academic studies agree. Researchers from the ANU and Macquarie University used large household surveys and found solar has a positive effect on house prices - and the effect grows with system size. (ANU Crawford School) An earlier University of Western Australia study of Perth sales put the premium at roughly 2.3-3.2%. (UWA)
• Energy-efficient homes sell for more overall. Domain's 2025 Sustainability in Property Report found houses with energy-efficient features sold for about 14.5% more - roughly $118,000 - than those without. In Melbourne the gap was 23.8%. (Domain via SolarQuotes, Property Update) Fair note: Domain itself points out these homes also tend to be newer, so not all of that premium is down to solar. (pv magazine Australia)
• Buyers notice. Listings with energy features like solar got 13.8% more views on Domain. (Elite Agent)

What about the home battery?

Here's the honest bit. Home batteries only went mainstream recently, so there aren't enough battery-equipped home sales yet to put a precise dollar figure on them.

But the signs are strong:

• Buyers say they'll pay for it. In the PropTrack and Origin Australian Home Energy Report (4,500 people surveyed), 61% said a home battery added value – and almost three in four would pay more for a home with solar. (RenewEconomy)
• Backup power is a selling point. Cotality notes that solar plus storage provides power during grid outages, which buyers value and which feeds into the premium. It also found premiums run higher where electricity prices are high and for newer, larger systems. (Cotality)
• Australians want it already installed. Coverage of the 2026 Cotality and REIA Efficiency Edge report cites research showing 85% of Australians would prefer a home with renewable tech already installed. (Mortgage Professional Australia)
• Batteries are fast becoming the norm. More than 500,000 batteries have been installed under the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program as of August 2026. (Prime Minister of Australia)

As more homes add batteries, buyers will start expecting them – the same way solar went from "nice extra" to standard. Explore Zelora's solar and battery systems or add a battery to your existing solar.

Investors: there's a rental upside too

If you own a rental, solar can pay you back through rent. An ANU study found Australian tenants with solar pay around $19 a week more in rent, giving landlords a payback period of about five years. (ANU Open Research)

Value you get while you live there

Resale value is the bonus. The main event is what you save every month you're in the home, lower bills, more of your own solar used at night, and the option to earn through a virtual power plant (VPP).

The Cheaper Home Batteries Program still takes around 30% off the upfront cost of an eligible battery. Since 1 May 2026, the discount steps down every six months, and batteries up to 14 kWh get the full rate per kWh. (DCCEEW, AGL) Check what you're eligible for on our rebates and incentives page.

How to get the most value from your system at sale time

A few things help your system count when you sell:

• Choose quality. Cotality found premiums are higher for newer, larger, more efficient systems. (Cotality)

• Keep the paperwork. Warranties, compliance certificates and install records show buyers it's a documented asset.

• Show the savings. Bring a year of bills or your monitoring app data to the open home.

• List it loud. Make sure your agent puts solar and battery front and centre in the listing.

The bottom line

Solar adds real, measurable value to Australian homes – around $23,000 on average, and more in some cities. Batteries add bill savings and backup power that buyers say they'll pay for, with the sale-price data still catching up.

Whether you're staying put or planning to sell, it's an upgrade that works for you now and later.

Ready to see the numbers for your home? Get your free solar and battery estimate or read our customer savings stories.