Over the years, you\u2019ve worked hard to make your house an inviting home. You\u2019ve spent money, time, and sweat on its upkeep and the upgrades you\u2019ve made throughout the decades. As you prepare to list your home, roof replacement is probably the last thing on your mind. After all, it\u2019ll soon be someone else\u2019s problem\u2014right?<\/p>\n
Not quite. In fact, roofing problems can be a stubborn thorn in the side of the home selling process. In this article, we\u2019ll review how a roof replacement impacts your home\u2019s value and explore some of the reasons you should replace your roof prior to listing\u2014and the consequences of trying to sell a home with a bad roof. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n
Roofing problems can kill your sale<\/strong><\/p>\n A prospective buyer may be willing to overlook overgrown landscaping (\u201ceasy enough to trim\u201d), dirty carpet (\u201cwe were planning on replacing it, anyway\u201d), or problems with the garbage disposal (\u201cinexpensive to fix\u201d). A roof that needs to be replaced, on the other hand, is probably a deal-killer. Given the expense and headache involved\u2014as well as the possibility of existing tangential water damage caused by leaking roof\u2014most buyers are willing to walk away from a home they love over roofing issues.<\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t disclose the age of the roof or its condition ahead of a verbal offer, the truth will come out during the buyer\u2019s home inspection. A thorough examination of the roof is a routine item on the checklists of most, if not all, reputable home inspectors. When they report back to the buyer with the condition of the roof, the would-be buyers will either back out of the deal or negotiate. It\u2019s the latter option that can really hurt your home\u2019s value.<\/p>\n They can also lower the return on your home<\/strong><\/p>\n When a problem is identified through a home inspection report, it\u2019s an opportunity for the buyer and the seller to negotiate the price, often through their realtors. In most cases, buyers don\u2019t bother negotiating price over minor items, like the aforementioned garbage disposal. No home is perfect, and there\u2019s an implicit understanding on the part of someone buying a used home that some bumps, scratches, and bruises are just part of the deal. The market can also play a role: a buyer will be pickier in a buyer\u2019s market and less discerning in a seller\u2019s market.<\/p>\n An impending roof replacement is a much different story. Even if the homeowner doesn\u2019t back out of the sale, their realtor is going to likely counter with one of two conditions : In other words, there\u2019s almost no way you\u2019ll come out of this process without paying for the roof. Our recommendation: replace the roof ahead of listing. In addition to avoiding a tense standoff with a buyer, you\u2019ll also get more value for your home.<\/p>\n Replacing your roof could boost your curb appeal<\/strong><\/p>\n When a shingle or tile roof is nearing the end of its lifespan, you can start to tell. On a tile roof, tiles will be missing, and underlayment will be exposed. A shingle roof is even more noticeable, as shingles will be missing, peeling, faded, or pushed out-of-place. To be frank, the roof won\u2019t be looking very good from the street. Which, coincidentally, is the first view your prospective buyer is going to get of your home.<\/p>\n Curb appeal matters because first impressions matter. That\u2019s always been true, but it\u2019s doubly so in the age of online listings. Your home might only get seconds between swipes or scrolls to make a positive impression on a buyer. If you catch their attention, you don\u2019t want it to be for the wrong reasons. A visibly deteriorating roof is an instant signal: \u201cStay away!\u201d Even if the buyer overlooks those poor shingles when viewing the online listing, they\u2019re bound to see them when they come to visit the home. Just hope they don\u2019t run away before you get to show them that open kitchen.<\/p>\n Of course, the opposite is also true: a newly replaced roof that looks tidy and well-cared for sends very different subtle messages about your home and the value it represents. When it comes to getting potential buyers to make offers, this matters.<\/p>\n A new roof is a major selling point<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019ve already established that no buyer wants a roof with problems, or one that they\u2019ll have to replace in the near-future. The opposite of that is also true: a newly replaced roof adds major value to your home, since you\u2019re effectively giving the buyer years of peace of mind and security. Given the importance of a new roof to a home\u2014especially an older home\u2014it might even be in the top bullet points your realtor uses to describe your property. This aspect of the home is that important.<\/p>\n Unlike several other home upgrade projects such as kitchen or bathroom remodels, a new roof is an improvement that won\u2019t make your home \u201cthe unicorn\u201d compared to other homes in your neighborhood. This term is used to refer to homes with numerous upgrades that far exceed what other homes in the neighborhood offer. The homeowner, wanting to recoup their investment on said upgrades, lists for much higher than the other comps in their area. Often, this makes the home difficult to sell\u2014while some distinguishing features are good, you generally want your home to fit what other homes in the area have to offer.<\/p>\n However, since a new roof is a practical, necessary project for all homes at some point, it\u2019s typically a project that sees a high return-on-investment (62.9% ROI nationally, per data from HomeAdvisor) without deterring buyers from making offers. A new roof is a positive differentiation; homeowners may be willing to buy a less expensive home with an outdated kitchen, but they\u2019re unlikely to do the same for a home with a failing roof.<\/p>\n Simplify the process of selling your home<\/strong><\/p>\n No matter what market you\u2019re in, a house that needs a new roof is probably going to be a tough house to sell. Unless you\u2019re interested in a prolonged, headache-filled process where your home sits on the market for months, it\u2019s probably better to just replace the roof ahead of the sale. However, be sure to talk to your trusted realtor first: they\u2019ll not only be able to give you individualized advice tailored to your home and market, but they may also be able to connect you with a reputable roofer in your area.<\/p>\n
\n\u25fe Reduce the price of the home to compensate the buyer for the cost of replacing the roof.
\n\u25fe Replace the roof prior to the sale going through.<\/p>\n