If you own your home and your electric bill is consistently over $150/month, solar is probably worth looking at seriously. Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, and most of the area are strong solar markets - enough sun hours, and state incentives in Maryland and Virginia are still solid.
A good solar installer starts with your actual electric bills - 12 months of them - and designs a system around your real usage, not a sales pitch. They'll tell you honestly if your roof isn't suitable (age, orientation, shading) rather than selling you a system that underperforms. Ask about production guarantees and what happens if they go out of business in five years.
Typical 6-10kW residential systems run $18,000-$30,000 before the 30% federal tax credit, bringing it to $12,600-$21,000. Most systems pay back in 7-10 years in this market. Lease vs. own has significant tradeoffs for home resale - ask about both. Red flag: any company that can't show you their installer's credentials and insurance certificate.