The only real difference is the process of being built offsite... and assembled onsite using their proprietary method.  

Sure, assemble the deal and tell the developer you want to vend in your assignment fee as equity, but just to learn about the process.

The Groves have created a big business on real estate education with a very efficient assembly line that keeps continuously dumping unexperienced investors to the marketplace that focus, pretty much exclusively on subject to deals.

We also have an in house broker dealer who can help assemble debt and private equity.

Assemble a TEAM that knows of, and can help you achieve, your goals without any conflicts of interest.

As a developer I assemble property to gain the highest and best use.

This is the greatest forum online for Real Estate.If you go to chapter 4 and go to the section called "Assembling your team"http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing...It talks about Teams and Systems - Clearly define your team and the systems you and they will use to delegate and automate tasks.

If the roof is replaced as the "structural support" for the solar it is considered for the 26% tax credit.Utility cost: 22c/kwh Annual electric usage: 12,000 kwh/yrAnnual electric cost: $2,640Available Incentives: NYS Discount, 25% up to $5k Federal of 26% with no limitDepreciation (once placed in service): 89% of the solar cost at a 24% federal rate and 6.57% state tax rateInstall solar panels and new roof: 25 year warranty workmanship and materials across the entire roof and solar assemblyCost of replacement roof: $8,600 - 12,400; going with the cheapest reputable roofer at $10,300Cost of solar system: $27,000 - $32,000; the cheapest quote has been in business the longest and has the best warranty go with $27,000Cost of system: $10,300 + 27,000 = $37,300Annual solar power production estimate: 12,179 kwh/yr; offsets the entire estimated usageAnnual solar production cost: 12,179 * 22c = $2,679.38/yr -or- $223.28/moCost after incentives: $37,300 - $5,000 - $9,698 = $22,602Finance option: Use NYS low-interest loan @ 3.5%; 0% bridge loan for incentives, ($22,602 @ 3.5% for 180 months) $161.56/moTax benefits of depreciation once place in-service: $7,342 over six years, $6,083 recovered in year 1Install Tesla Solar Roof; integrated solar roof with 25 year warranty across the entire roof assembly, 15 years on the inverterCost of Tesla Solar Roof: $31,635Annual solar power production estimate: 10,480 kwh/yr; offsets the 87% of the estimated usageAnnual solar production cost: 10,480 * 22c = $2,305/yr -or- $192.12/moCost after incentives: $31,635 - $5,000 - $8,225 = $18,410Finance option: Use NYS low-interest loan @ 3.5%; 0% bridge loan for incentives, ($22,602 @ 3.5% for 180 months) $131.61/moTax benefits of depreciation once place in-service: $8,603 over six years, $7,127 recovered in year 1Summary of the effective cost of the solar:Effective cost of solar system = Total installed cost of solar and roof - incentives - cost of new roof (required regardless of solar install) - tax savingsEffective cost of traditional solar = $37,300 - ($5,000 + $9,698) - $10,300 - $7,342 = $4,960Effective cost of Tesla Solar Roof = $31,635 - ($5000 + $8,225) - $10,300 - $8,603 = -$493 (say what!?

We are real laggards in this regard ... too many years of cheap energy has made us wasteful and complacent.Stepping away from the doom and gloom for a moment, while there are precious few truly energy efficient buildings, interest is growing and you are starting to see pressure on building codes to take the subject seriously (though around here, they are still congratulating themselves on finally adopting R22 as the minimum insulation of a wall assembly).However, to date, depending on your clientele, there is no significant financial reward to the landlord to have an extremely energy efficient rental.  

So about $150 into the system, and it looks cleaner and took less time than buying the wood, cutting, assembling, and painting ourselves.