If you are a homeowner, then at some point, you will need to address roof repair. It might be a minor fix, or it might be a complete replacement. No matter the case, it is important to get the work done correctly to protect your home and family.
If you are selling your home, you might wonder if you can sell it with a bad roof. The answer is yes, but there are some things you need to do to make the sale go as smoothly as possible. Keep reading for our tips!
Is The Roof Condition Important During a Home Sale?
Can you sell your home with a bad roof? If you are in the process of selling your home and discover that the roof is not in good condition, what should you do? Of course, you can sell your home with a poor roof, but various factors will influence how much money you receive when setting the asking price. A good appraiser will consider:
- Any upgrades you’ve done to the home – an appraiser will consider this if you’ve upgraded the home, such as a new roof. For example, the real estate industry is always looking at energy efficiency, and if you have a new energy-efficient roof, this will be viewed as an upgrade.
- The condition of your neighbor’s homes – If your neighborhood has a lot of houses with old, worn-out roofs, your home will fare better in the sale. But, if most homes have new or maintained roofs, you might have to lower your asking price.
- The age of your home or the roof – roofs generally last for 30-50 years. This will be a major selling point if your home is on the older side and the roof needs to be replaced.
- The amount of maintenance you have performed – If you have kept up with roof repairs and maintenance, an appraiser will look on this favorably.
- The roofing material installed on your home – Certain roofing materials is more valuable than others. For example, if you have a slate roof, this will be worth more than an asphalt shingle roof.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors that come into play when selling your home with a bad roof. The best thing you can do is be honest with potential buyers about the roof’s condition.
What is Considered a Bad Roof?
Is it possible to live in a home with a bad roof? A shoddy roof does not always render a house uninhabitable, but the damage it has suffered may affect this. A roof will eventually succumb to ordinary wear and tear, as new as it may be. It is also well understood that severe weather conditions damage roofs and accelerate their deterioration, especially if they are not properly maintained.
A roof that is in bad shape will have:
- Missing shingles
- Broken shingles
- Displaced shingles
- Moss growing on the roof
- Rusted flashings
- Curled shingles
If you have a terrible roof but have other updates to the home, you can still sell it, but you will likely not get top dollar for the property. On the other hand, if you have an old home with an old roof, but the house is in a desirable location, you might still be able to sell it without too much of a problem.
It depends on the market conditions in your area and how motivated you are to sell. You can always try to get a pre-sale inspection done to address any problems with the roof before putting your home on the market. If you are not motivated to sell right away, and the sellers agree, they can repair or replace the roof until you sell the property.
Should You Replace The Roof Before Selling Your House?
Choosing to replace your roof before putting your house on the market is a common problem. It’s challenging when it comes to financing constraints; many people wonder if it is worth updating their roofs before selling their homes. Yes, a well-maintained roof will result in a higher sales price.
Replacing a roof is costly, similar to other utilities, like electricity and air conditioning—also the water and sewerage system. While replacing a lousy roof with a new one could cost a lot of money, selling off the property might not get you as much as the home’s actual value. If the buyer purchases this property, they will be offered a discount because of the roof’s poor condition.
To help you decide, consider how much damage there is to the roof by weighing the minor and significant damage to the structure. We discussed the major issues above, but minor problems are:
- Minor algae stains on roof shingles
- A few broken shingles
- A few curled shingles
- A dirty roof
- One or two missing shingles
Minor damages take less time and money to repair or replace. With minor damage, the seller can always do some patching up to get back the original value of their home. However, if you’re trying to sell your home, you must call a roofer if the damage is bad enough. They will be able to tell you how much replacement the roof needs and estimate how much money it would take to make the roof look new again.
What to Do if You Bought a Home With a Bad Roof?
If you bought a home and found out the roof is in bad shape, your first call should be to the seller. If you have a home inspection contingency in your contract, you may be able to back out of the deal or negotiate with the seller for a credit to cover the cost of roof repairs.
If you and the seller agreed on the roof issue before closing the home, you would be responsible for fixing the roof. You can either do it yourself or hire a roofing contractor. If you plan on living in the home for many years, replacing the roof might be worth it, so you don’t have to worry about it again. However, if you plan on selling the home soon, you can just do some repairs to get by until you sell.
If you have a terrible roof but love the home, Pinpoint Innovations is here to help. We are a roofing contractor specializing in repair and replacements in the southern Maryland area. We will work with you to find the best solution for your roof so you can enjoy your home for many years to come. Contact us today for a free estimate!
Leave a Reply