Selling in the San Gabriel Valley? Utility Questions

In the San Gabriel Valley, summer heat drives the utility conversation. Buyers touring homes this fall will often ask what a house costs to cool, especially larger homes with extended families under one roof.

Clear, accurate answers help. These are the questions sellers commonly hear.

Who Provides Your Utilities, and What Do They Cost?

Most San Gabriel Valley homes receive electricity from Southern California Edison and gas from SoCalGas. Homes in Pasadena receive electricity and water from Pasadena Water and Power. Water providers vary by city, from municipal departments to private water companies. Share your providers.

Download a year of billing history to show the summer peak. Note your rate plan, since time-of-use plans change costs by hour. Usage in kilowatt-hours and therms is often more useful than dollars.

Do You Have Solar?

Share whether the system is owned or leased, its size, age, and production history. Leases need to be transferred or paid off.

What Should Buyers Know About the A/C?

Share the system type, age, and service history. Homes with ADUs or additions may have separate systems or meters, so note how those are billed. Lifespan and sizing questions belong with a licensed technician or the buyer's inspector.

Have You Made Improvements?

Dual-pane windows, attic insulation, a new A/C, or solar are worth describing. Share what was done, when, by whom, and permits. Avoid promising savings.

Are There Comfort Problems?

An upstairs that runs warm or a west-facing room that heats up in the afternoon is worth describing. California has detailed disclosure requirements, so talk with us.

If you're preparing to sell, ask us which running-cost information would be useful to have ready for buyers considering your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who provides electricity in Pasadena?

Pasadena Water and Power provides electricity and water to most Pasadena homes.

Who provides electricity elsewhere in the San Gabriel Valley?

Most homes are served by Southern California Edison.

Does an ADU have its own utility meter?

Some do and some don't. Share how the ADU's utilities are billed.

When are bills highest in the San Gabriel Valley?

Typically in summer, when A/C use peaks.

Does leased solar transfer when I sell?

It usually must be transferred or paid off.

Do I have to share utility bills?

It isn't required, but many buyers ask.