Buying a new home is often a long, confusing, and sometimes chaotic process. Many people are involved, and each has a say in how the process will go. You are ready to buy a home, but after the inspection, an inspector reports that the home needs a new roof. Maybe the roof has already outlived its lifespan, or it suffered weather damage and was not rectified. For whatever reason, if that home needs a new roof, the buying process can get a bit trickier.
Can I even get a mortgage on a house that needs a new roof? The good thing is that if you have fallen in love with a home, the bad condition of the roof does not have to deter you from buying it, and some lenders will overlook that.
Negotiating
You will need to get the seller on board with the idea of adding a new roof. The fact that a house with a damaged roof has been put on the market means this is not something the seller wanted to deal with. So you can try to convince them to either lower the cost of the house or add the roof themselves. Most sellers will prefer to sell at a discount instead of replacing the roof themselves. However, many do not realize the cost of roof replacement. A better option that can help both parties is the home sale price not being reduced and the sellers not replacing the roof. Instead, they pay the buyer the full cost of roof replacement but allow the seller to deal with the roof replacement process after the home is sold. This facilitates a shorter closing period.
Getting a Quote
Get a quote on the cost of roof replacement so that you know how much you will need. This will help both parties. You can get a quote from three different roofers to know the average cost of different roofing materials.
Another issue is that you want premium roofing materials, but the seller simply wants to go with a cheaper material to save cost. If the house had a premium roof, you have a better chance of convincing the seller to replace it with a premium roof as well. If you want something more costly than the seller is willing to pay, compromise by having the seller cover the cost of the cheaper material, and then you pay the difference and have a premium roof replaced.
Roof Inspection With No Signs for Immediate Replacement
What happens when a roof inspection is completed and shows no immediate need for replacement? Even a bad roof can sometimes allow the house buying process to go on with no issues from lenders. But as a homeowner, you also want to know whether you will have issues down the line and prepare for that investment. Therefore, you can also request an inspection for your own benefit to determine the state of the roof. If the inspector finds issues, you can start negotiating with a seller. When a roof inspection is completed and shows no immediate need for replacement, do not assume you might not have roofing issues in the near future.
Once you have agreed with the home seller, the next step is replacing your roof. This is where Rick Graham Construction, LLC comes in. We specialize in different roofing services, including repair and replacement. If you are ready to replace the roof of your new home, give us a call today.