UAD 3.6 will make owned solar the only appraisable solar

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s new appraisal data standard takes effect Nov. 2, 2026, and will record solar ownership as structured data for every new appraisal submitted to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal. The change sharpens the divide between owned solar and leased or dealer-financed systems, which are excluded from appraised value.

Why it matters: - UAD 3.6 will force solar ownership status into every new appraisal as machine-readable data starting Nov. 2, 2026. - Owned solar can be counted in value discussions; leased, dealer-financed and other third-party solar structures cannot. - The rule could shift how lenders, appraisers and homeowners view which solar systems add value at resale and refinance.

What happened: - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will make Uniform Appraisal Dataset 3.6 mandatory for every new appraisal report submitted to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal on Nov. 2, 2026. - The new standard will capture solar ownership status as structured data that travels with the loan file. - QuiqNest, Inc. has been originating Clear-Title Solar since 2025, a model it says gives homeowners outright ownership of the system. - QuiqNest says Clear-Title Solar avoids UCC-1 fixture filings, dealer fees and leases.

The details: - Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide excludes solar panels leased from a third party or sold under a power purchase agreement from appraised value. - Solar financed through a solar company and secured by a UCC-1 filing is also excluded from appraised value unless loan documents say the equipment cannot be repossessed. - QuiqNest offers Clear-Title Solar through two main paths: cash purchase or financing the system inside the mortgage at purchase. - Cash purchases run through certified installer partners at installed cost, with no setter fees, closer commissions or dealer points. - BrightNest Mortgage finances an owned solar system into the primary mortgage at purchase. - QuiqBridge is aimed at existing homeowners who cannot make a cash-out refinance work and cannot access a home equity line. - QuiqBridge uses FHA Title I, as expanded by the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which became law July 11, 2026. - QuiqBridge finances solar up to $75,000 over 30 years, secured by the equipment without a UCC-1 fixture filing. - QuiqRefi consolidates a QuiqBridge Title I loan into the primary mortgage at the next refinance. - QuiqNest says Florida restricts electricity sales to utilities, so power purchase agreements are not offered there and the only third-party solar structure available is a lease. - QuiqNest says every Florida solar lease adds a UCC-1 lien. - The company says it originates Clear-Title Solar in Florida with certified installer partners. - QuiqNest says more information is available at quiqnest.com and uad36solar.com.

Between the lines: - The company is positioning owned solar as the only model that can reliably survive the new appraisal data standard. - Its pitch also targets a gap in the retail solar market: homeowners who want solar but lack equity, cannot refinance and do not want a lease or dealer-fee loan. - The company argues that once structured data starts flowing into appraisal records, owned systems will accumulate comparable-sales evidence while excluded systems will not. - That is an analysis of how appraisal data may compound over time, not a guarantee of future value.

What's next: - On Nov. 2, 2026, new appraisal submissions will have to use UAD 3.6. - The prior appraisal standard will remain in place only until May 3, 2027, when it is fully retired. - Homeowners with existing solar can check whether their system is a lease, a power purchase agreement or a loan with a UCC-1 filing to understand how it may be treated in appraisal. - QuiqNest expects Clear-Title Solar to be the alternative for borrowers who want solar ownership without the appraisal penalty tied to third-party structures.

The bottom line: - Under the new appraisal regime, ownership is the key dividing line, and QuiqNest is betting that clear title will be the only solar setup that consistently counts.