Can you sell a house with an old roof in Fayetteville?
Yes you can sell a house with an old roof, you can also sell that same house with a new roof. The choice is always up to you but there are different consequences and choices you will have to make in regards to each choice. If you have thought about selling your home you need to list in your mind all of the selling points a buyer will like. Also be sure to make a list of potential pain points a buyer will face such as a leaky sink, damaged roof or cracked HVAC system. If your roof is old but you just installed a new A/C unit then the roof would be a pain point for the buyer but the A/C unit would be a buying point. It is always a good idea to have more buying points than pain points when selling a home, this ensures you get the most money out of the possible deal.
Like mentioned above you can sell your home with an old roof, selling a home with an aged roof is totally legal and there is nothing against it. There are however consequences that you may not think about when listing the home for sale. The first consequence is the loss of potential home buyers. If someone is a first time home buyer certain loan programs such as an FHA loan will not lend money if the home is in need of large repairs such as a new roof, new exterior paint, exterior siding etc. So if your roof home is in need of a new roof very badly then you can pretty much guarantee that no first time homebuyers will be able to purchase the home due to lending requirements.
Another unforeseen consequence of selling your property with an old and aging roof is giving the buyer more negotiating power with price. If you do not want to replace the roof yourself then the buyer can negotiate the price of the roof from your asking price. For the example of this article let’s say that you are selling the home for $200,000 and the new roof will cost anywhere from $9,000-$12,000. If you sell the house with the old roof the potential buyer could negotiate the buying price down to $190,000 for the cost to install a new roof. Many buyers will also see a listing for a home with an old stained roof and think the asking price is too high (simply due to the way the home looks with the old roof). We always recommend replacing the roof before you sell the home because you can usually get the total cost of the roof back in the asking price and it will increase the number of potential buyers you can get to come look at the home.
If your home has noticeable damage and is leaking then the only type of buyers you will attract are “house flipping” crews and handyman. These groups are very skilled and experienced to get the best deal possible which means less money in your pocket had you repaired the roof before listing the home. Many insurance companies also will not insure a new home until an agent has gone out to the property to inspect the property (including the roof) and make sure it is free of large problems or serious damages. If the agent deems the roof as being an issue then the potential buyer may look for a different home altogether if they don’t want to go through the hassle of working with the insurance company.
If your roof is older than 20 years and is beginning to show some obvious signs of ageing and damage it is recommended to replace the roof before selling. When you list your home on the market the can make the phrase “brand new roof” be a highlight of the property and make it seem more appealing to the buyer which can increase demand and raise prices.
If you are unsure of the current condition of the home we always recommend having a professional roofer in Fayetteville come to inspect the roof and check its health. This inspection will help you understand if the roof will last for several more years, need repairs or replaced completely before selling. If during this inspection the roofing contractor finds partial damage, curling shingles, missing shingles, leaks or serious aging conditions we may recommend a roof replacement.
Like mentioned above you can sell your home with an old roof, selling a home with an aged roof is totally legal and there is nothing against it. There are however consequences that you may not think about when listing the home for sale. The first consequence is the loss of potential home buyers. If someone is a first time home buyer certain loan programs such as an FHA loan will not lend money if the home is in need of large repairs such as a new roof, new exterior paint, exterior siding etc. So if your roof home is in need of a new roof very badly then you can pretty much guarantee that no first time homebuyers will be able to purchase the home due to lending requirements.
Another unforeseen consequence of selling your property with an old and aging roof is giving the buyer more negotiating power with price. If you do not want to replace the roof yourself then the buyer can negotiate the price of the roof from your asking price. For the example of this article let’s say that you are selling the home for $200,000 and the new roof will cost anywhere from $9,000-$12,000. If you sell the house with the old roof the potential buyer could negotiate the buying price down to $190,000 for the cost to install a new roof. Many buyers will also see a listing for a home with an old stained roof and think the asking price is too high (simply due to the way the home looks with the old roof). We always recommend replacing the roof before you sell the home because you can usually get the total cost of the roof back in the asking price and it will increase the number of potential buyers you can get to come look at the home.
If your home has noticeable damage and is leaking then the only type of buyers you will attract are “house flipping” crews and handyman. These groups are very skilled and experienced to get the best deal possible which means less money in your pocket had you repaired the roof before listing the home. Many insurance companies also will not insure a new home until an agent has gone out to the property to inspect the property (including the roof) and make sure it is free of large problems or serious damages. If the agent deems the roof as being an issue then the potential buyer may look for a different home altogether if they don’t want to go through the hassle of working with the insurance company.
If your roof is older than 20 years and is beginning to show some obvious signs of ageing and damage it is recommended to replace the roof before selling. When you list your home on the market the can make the phrase “brand new roof” be a highlight of the property and make it seem more appealing to the buyer which can increase demand and raise prices.
If you are unsure of the current condition of the home we always recommend having a professional roofer in Fayetteville come to inspect the roof and check its health. This inspection will help you understand if the roof will last for several more years, need repairs or replaced completely before selling. If during this inspection the roofing contractor finds partial damage, curling shingles, missing shingles, leaks or serious aging conditions we may recommend a roof replacement.