Curb Appeal, How Important is your Roof when Buying or Selling?

Whether you are buying or selling a home, a good roof can help you and a bad roof can hurt you. Most people think the biggest draw for home buyers is a great kitchen, but this is not true. A great kitchen can be icing on the cake but basics such as the foundation and roof need to be sound. According to HGTV.com, “Basic maintenance, such as roof and exterior painting, are more important than an awesome kitchen.” [i] One aesthetic problem that can weaken the integrity of shingles over time is algae growth. Algae growth often shows up as dark stains or discoloration, as in the picture on the left; a virtual re-roof on GAF.com instantly freshens up the curb appeal of this house.

For the seller:

If you are going to make some improvements to put your home on the market, have the roof inspected by a professional. If the roof is sound then check out other basic necessities such as a reliable water heater or new exterior paint or siding. If the roof does need repairs or replacement either invest the money up front or be prepared to deduct it from your price at closing time. Any savvy buyer will have the house inspected and this can often turn up roof problems that the seller was oblivious to. If you are unprepared to handle problems with basic systems you may end up losing the sale or taking less than you wanted for the house.  If you do have roof problems you don’t have to fix them right away, you can get a quote from a reputable company and subtract the cost from your price during closing. This is often convenient for the seller and the buyer because the buyer has peace of mind and has the option invest in upgrades if they so choose.

For the buyer:

Make sure you ask if there are any problems that will need to be addressed. If you do enter negotiations on a house, make sure you have enough time to have a thorough inspection and get written estimates if any repairs are recommended.  As a roofing company we sometimes meet people who did not have a good inspection before purchasing their home and are left footing the bill for a new roof or haggling with insurance companies to cover something the seller should have already taken care of. It may be time consuming but it will pay off in the end to have professionals from the industry inspect major components such as the foundation and the roof.

At Lone-Star Roof Systems we work hard to accommodate both buyers and sellers with any roofing needs. Many sellers pay for the roof and leave the option for the buyer to add upgrades such as radiant barrier or an extended warranty at their expense.