Yes - you're right. When you pull off the grid, you first use up your credits. Then you either buy additional power from the electric company. Or, if you generate more power than you use, you get paid for the excess by the electric company. I'd have to check my notes - I think it may be annually. If you think about it - the days are longer in summer, so you will generate more power. Days are shorter in winter, you generate less power. So you most likely will pull more power off the grid in winter, pull less power in summer. So things would even out over a year. The SRECs are completely different. And I still don't have my head completely wrapped around them. They are Solar Renewable Energy Credits. The utility companies are required by law to generate a certain portion of their electricity by solar. They buy these SRECs to comply with this requirement. If they don't have enough SRECs they are fined. From srectrade.com In SREC states, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electricity suppliers to secure a portion of their electricity from solar generators. The SREC program provides a means for Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) to be created for every megawatt-hour of solar electricity created. 1 SREC = 1,000 kWh of solar electricity = 1 MWh of solar electricity 10 kW solar capacity = ~12 SRECs per year The SREC is sold separately from the electricity and represents the "solar" aspect of the electricity that was produced. The value of an SREC is determined by the market subject to supply and demand constraints. SRECs can be sold to electricity suppliers needing to meet their solar RPS requirement. The market is typically capped by a fine or solar alternative compliance payment (SACP) paid by any electricity suppliers for every SREC they fall short of the requirement. The sale of SRECs is intended to promote the growth of distributed solar by shortening the time it takes to earn a return on the investment. Once the installation of a solar system is complete, the system must then be certified by the state(s) in which it is eligible to sell SRECs and then must create an account with the tracking platform used by that state. Once registered, every month, the tracking platform will issue SRECs based on the generation of your system. In some states, estimated generation is used for systems under 10kW, while all other systems are required to submit generation on a monthly basis. One SREC is created for every 1000kWh of electricity created. For example, a 10kW system can generate approximately 1 SREC per month. However, it is up to the solar installation owner to decide how to manage the SRECs that are produced. Some states will certify solar electric systems from out-of-state and allow the SRECs from those facilities to count towards the RPS. The map above shows what state individuals can sell their SRECs into. Here is a link that might be useful: srec trade dot com

WRT prices, you'll need to say a bit more about what you're looking for. With both companies, prices vary with the size of the range, as well as the features. This or that back; all burners, a griddle or a grill, a french top (available with BS) -- all of these change the price. BlueStar are all gas; Wolf offers both gas and dual fuel ranges, with electric ovens, and the dual fuel ranges have different (higher) prices. For BlueStar, their top line -- RNB -- ranges start at just about 4k for 30" and about 5k for 36". Last I looked at Wolf - maybe a year ago -- prices were similar, if maybe a bit higher, at 30", and there seemed to be a bit more of a spread in some of the larger sizes. BlueStar does offer a less powerful line of ranges -- the RCS models -- that still have ample output for the vast majority of cooking needs and are priced well under both BS's RNB line and all of the Wolf ranges. If these have the features you want, you might find very good value for money in the RCS. Overall, prices might tend to be slightly lower with the BS RNB than Wolf, and a good deal lower with the BS RCS if there's one configured as you like. OTOH, maybe the best value for money is getting the thing you really want, provided it's in budget. Also, with Wolf, there might be more of a chance at finding a deal on a floor model or what have you, just because, with wider distribution, there are so many more sitting on dealer floors from season to season. The BS RNBs are available all stainless, or with a body in your choice of 190 colors at no up-charge. As to what you might want: you haven't said much about your preferences or why you want to sell your Aga range. What don't you like about the current range that you'd like to change? Both Wolf and BlueStar are very well regarded products. Wolf probably has greater distribution and name recognition generally. And Wolf does very well in customer satisfaction surveys (which often neglect smaller brands, such as BlueStar and Capital, entirely). BlueStar ranges are all gas, all open burners -- direct flame from exposed burners, as in restaurant ranges, surrounded by cast iron bowls and covered by cast iron grates. The RNB line offers a very high powered burner -- 22K BTU -- as well as intermediate and simmer burners. For most cooking -- the large majority of techniques -- nobody needs that output, but for certain techniques it's really helpful (and for getting a large pot of water to a boil quickly, as well -- and for my own idiosyncratic preferences, for having it come back to a boil promptly once I've added pasta, etc.) Wolf offer sealed burners (at 36" and up, they also offer something they call and open burner that's sort of in-between). Some folks really like sealed, as there's a neat smooth top running across the range top, under the grates. Others (me included) find open easier to keep clean, as the grates get a quick wipe and as easy to clean stainless trays catch anything that falls through. Open burners offer more direct flame and are more efficient, although the relative efficiency of the burners may not be important to you. I think that top output on Wolf is 18K btu on 36" and larger models, but maybe only 15 in the 30" ranges. There's nothing wrong with 15K for the large majority of techniques, and yes you can bring a large pot to a rolling boil on a 15K btu burner. OTOH, if you're doing Wok cooking, or Wok-like western techniques that involve a quick sear, you'll really notice the difference with higher output. And for boiling water (or anything), 22K btu is noticeably faster than 15. Wolf ovens generally are well regarded. I like my large BS oven, and BS comes with a terrific broiler. I bought the BS because I was crazy about the burners and I'm very happy with my choice. The burners have delivered, as I'd hoped, and then some, the range looks great, and the broiler has been a very nice surprise (wasn't really on my radar screen much when shopping, but it's been well appreciated in use). OTOH, you'll also find many happy Wolf owners.

Mjlb, although making a property the most it can be is a super thing to do on the right property, this house's location in a "starter" subdivision puts it in a special category. I was a real estate appraiser for years. These neighborhoods typically have no advantage in location that would help values appreciate--usually quite the contrary--and have uniformly small, inexpensive structures built on them. Thus these neighborhoods in general can be expected to appreciate less than more desirable neighborhoods, often significantly so. For instance, the $15K price difference between this house and its closest competitive subdivision this decade may become $22K in the next little price run up, and $30K by before the end of the decade. If a real estate boom happened, $30K might well turn into $60K in a couple of years. People who remain in starter subdivisions often end up unable to move up as prices change but the houses just get older and less well maintained. That's the usual syndrome because, as people are earnestly telling you, the typical owners in starter neighborhoods most often save their money for the next home. They do not invest in improvements, but just keep them maintained well enough to sell. Most of those who leave sell what are now used homes to people who can't afford new ones. Other owners remain in the neighborhood because they are satisfied with their homes or because, as life turns out, they can't afford to leave after all. Some fix up their houses a bit, so they become standouts among the plain-jane landscaping around them, but others don't have the money to make noticeable changes. As for your remodel investment, no one will pay more for your improved home than for other properties for sale in the neighborhood. Those who have the money will put that extra $5K in a house in the slightly better subdivision across the boulevard. See where this goes? Since you're willing, even eager, to make the most of what you have, save your ambition and almost all your money for a neighborhood, old or fairly new, people are choosing for their destination, dream neighborhood, where they hope to live for many years. Above all, when looking at this house and for the next, think the old real estate principle of location, location, location. Whether you're buying to make money or to have beautiful tree-lined streets to take your morning strolls on, it's more important than the next 3 factors you can think of put together. Best wishes.

Yes to so much of this. My husband loves spreadsheets (I prefer paper and pencil), and tracks every penny spent with our projects. He'll also estimate costs when we get to that point, to help us set a budget and decide where we want to spend our money. As I stated previously, we are generally savers. Even though I know that is the right path, it can sometimes be frustrating. It can seem that other people spend foolishly, and then continue to get bailed out. When we did FAFSA this year for our oldest going off to college, they expected us to be able to spend all of our college savings on her, nevermind that she has 5 younger siblings that we're saving for as well. (Thankfully, she'll only use a small portion of her college fund.) If we had saved nothing, we probably would have only had to spend a few thousand out of pocket. I try not to think about it too much though. :( On the topic of cheese...I gave our daughter some Sartori Montamore cheese when we moved her into her dorm. She's a generation removed from WI, but it's in her blood! ;)