Does a New Roof Add Value to Your Home?

We get this question a lot. For many homeowners, the prospect of a new roof can be daunting, especially if they think they’re going to be selling their home sometime soon. The question becomes one of value; is it worth it to me to replace my roof if it’s not threatening to cave in?

So, does a new roof add value to your home? Let’s explore what a new roof does, and how it all adds up.

A New Roof Adds Significant Curb Appeal

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? While that might be true about many things, it doesn’t quite fit when you’re trying to put your house on the market. The truth is, there are certain obvious first impressions your home will make when a potential buyer pulls up to the curb, and your roof is one of them.

A sagging, moss-covered, and/or beat-up roof is immediately noticeable even to a new buyer. A roof in poor condition screams “problematic” even before a buyer opens the door. On the contrary, a brand-new roof can instill confidence in a buyer. It looks beautiful, but it also looks sturdy right out of the gate.

 With a New Roof, Don’t Sweat the Inspection or Appraisal

 Any home seller can tell you about the stresses of the home inspection and      appraisal when they’re in the process of negotiating the sale of the home. Both   can be deal-breakers. An inspector will sound the alarm if they fear there is roof trouble. Suddenly, what looked like an easy sale can be mired in negotiations, or, worse yet, the seller can back out entirely and leave you high and dry.

Even if you manage to talk your way out of a bad inspection, you then have the appraisal. Whether you like it or not, an appraisal works for the seller’s lender. They’re there to ensure the loan they’re about to execute is a sound investment. If they see a roof in poor condition, they’ll certainly ding you on their appraisal. When an appraisal falls low, you’ll often find yourself with even more complications, and it could even be a last-minute deal-breaker from the seller as they fail to secure funding.

When you have a new roof over your head, you have significant peace of mind knowing that one major component of your home is in tip-top shape.

All of This Adds Value to Your Home

We hope these factors answer your questions about new roofs and home value. Not only does a new roof increase the monetary value of your home, but it increases the ease of selling while simplifying the process.

To us, value isn’t all dollar signs. Yet, when you’re talking about a new roof, it makes cents and sense to replace it before you list.

Signs that It’s Time for a New Roof

You might also be wondering if your roof needs to be replaced. After all,  not   all sellers need to get a new roof. If your roof is in good shape, then we’d recommend you leave it be. However, here are the symptoms of a   bad roof for the rest of us:

• Cracked, buckling, or missing shingles
• Sagging roof
• Sagging gutters
• Water stains on your interior ceiling
• Excessive amounts of ice on your roof (ice dams)

Call Us Today 

If you’re thinking of selling (in this market, who isn’t?), then we’d suggest you at least call us for a roof inspection. We’ll tell you the state of your roof, and let you know if we think it will become a topic of conversation as you negotiate a sale.

If it is time to replace, we’ll be honest about that, too. We hope we’ve convinced you that a new roof is a worthy investment, even if you’re about to sell.