If you’re in the market for a new home, getting a great deal is likely the top priority on your list. But, as you’ve probably found out, the housing market today is highly competitive in our local area. In today’s market, sellers have most of the leverage and are getting top dollar for their homes without any expensive improvements being made before closing. Unfortunately, this means it’s less likely you’ll be able to negotiate for a new roof as a contingency to your purchase offer. Instead, you’ve got to be quick when making an offer. And, unless you’re willing to offer a lot of cash upfront and over the asking price, chances are the seller will accept another offer that asks or requires little to nothing from them upfront.
Just because you’re looking for a house and need to move quickly doesn’t mean you should settle for something out of desperation. It’s important that you don’t overlook the care given to the home, especially concerning the roofing system. In fact, because of today’s market, you could argue that you should do even more preliminary research to ensure that you know the quality of the home that you’re thinking about buying.
Ultimately, being careless when buying a home could cost you a lot more in the long run. The roof is one of the more expensive things on a house to replace, and if it’s overdue for some new shingles, there could even be more damage (such as water damage) that you don’t notice on your first inspection. So, use these tips to determine whether or not it’s likely that the home that you’re thinking about buying is overdue for a new roof.
1. Look for Signs in the Attic.
When you go on a tour of a new home you are interested in, it’s usually okay to ask if you can see the attic. This is especially true if there’s a drop-down ladder or stairs that lead to it. As you enter the attic, check out the condition of the inside of the roof if there isn’t drywall or another kind of interior ceiling. If you can see sunlight, that means that rain is also getting through. If it’s a finished attic, check for any signs of water damage, such as yellow stains. Similarly, you might see sagging in the drywall if there’s water damage to an interior ceiling.
2. Check the Shingles and Exterior.
If you can’t see the interior of the attic, you can still check out the exterior. One of the most noticeable signs of an asphalt shingle roof that’s starting to go bad is shingles that are curling up. You might also notice rotting on asphalt and wooden shingles, and you might also notice missing or broken tiles.
If the house has a high roof, it might be difficult to see it, but shingle granules in the gutters are another sign that the house likely needs a new roof. Finally, damage to the flashing around the chimney is another indicator that there might be water damage in the house and that part of the roof needs repair.
3. Find Out the Age of the Roof.
You can and should also find out the age of the roof. If it’s more than 15 years old, there’s a good chance that it will need a new roof fairly soon if it’s an asphalt roof. While some shingles are rated to be good on a roof for longer periods of time, understand that older roofs are more likely to need some care sooner.
Be Smart and Do Your Homework
If you’re in the market for a house, you should look into all of the great options that are available to you and you should make an offer quickly because many houses are being snatched up within a matter of days. But that doesn’t mean that you should move so quickly that you make a bad purchasing decision. Even a few extra minutes looking at the house can alert you to costly repairs that you’ll need to make if you choose to buy the house.
If you recently purchased a home or are thinking you might put your home on the market, give us a call or schedule a roof inspection online for us to come out and take a look. Also, don’t forget to ask about our Roof Assurance Maintenance Program.
