Solar Roof + Flips/Rentals

[Joshua Huston]

Recently I was thinking about the Solar Roofs that Tesla started making, and I was wondering if there was any space for this in the real estate game? If you had to already replace a roof on a flip or rental, why not try a solar roof, especially if you could get it within 5-10 thousand dollars of the price of a new roof. I'm from Arizona, and my thought would be that this might be appealing buyers (possibly in the Phoenix area) but more specifically in Tucson, where there the demographics (professionals/environmentally conscious) would be very receptive to that kind of feature in a more high end house, or at least a house in one of the desirable neighborhoods in Tucson. 

My thought is that it would at the very least set apart your project, while also providing long run savings for a landlord as a rental or a potential buyer as a flip. Some questions to ask are definitely the financial feasibility -- are there any potential gains here? What is the cost of a new roof in these areas? I've had similar thoughts about metal roofs as they are more unique and provide an advantage in durability. At least for now, Tesla's tiles seem durable and aesthetically pleasing as well. I'd love feedback, especially from the Tucson folks, if any of my assumptions are off!