Planning to Sell Your Home? Plan to Get Your Roof Inspected too

There’s a laundry list of items that need to get done around your home before you can sell it. One of those is getting a roof inspection. Depending on how old your roof is, it may be in your best interest to either replace your roof before it goes on the market or pay for a full inspection.

According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, homeowners should get regular inspections of their roofs as part of their home maintenance plan. It is always better to discover problems early, before they become huge, expensive problems. Many homebuyers won’t purchase a home unless the roof has been inspected and found to be sound. If you are in a hurry to sell your home, it might just be easier to get your own roof inspection before you put it on the market and replace the roof if the inspector finds that it is necessary.

What do inspectors look for?

At Epic Roofing & Exteriors, our inspectors will come out and examine your roof for cracked, curling or missing shingles as well as missing or damaged flashing around attic vents and skylights. Our team will also look out for things like mold and mildew that can rot your shingles and lead to roof water damage. Some problems are noticeable from the ground. For instance, if your home is hit by a hurricane, you might see missing tiles or flashing. Other problems require a closer inspection of your roof and the inside of the attic and home

Structural issues are a huge warning sign that something is amiss with your roof. Our inspectors will look for dips or sagging in the roofline of your home that would indicate that water has gotten under your roofing materials and caused the boards underneath to warp and bend. If you notice pooling water on your roof, that is another sign that something isn’t right. Water should sheet right off. They also will check the integrity of the home’s fascia and gutters and look for exposed nails.

On the inside of your home, inspectors will look for water stains, mold or mildew in your attic and on your home’s ceilings and walls. If you see watermarks on your ceilings or obvious water drips down your interior walls, it is time to replace your roof. Most mortgage companies won’t allow homebuyers to get a loan on a home where the roof needs to be replaced, so the key is to be proactive in scouting for problems before the sale.

Roof certification

Many roofing inspectors will issue homeowners a roof certification if their roof is found to have no problems. If the roof inspection finds any problems, it is up to the homeowner to fix those problems before being issued a certificate. The reason this certificate is so important is that it is something the homeowner can physically hand to the homebuyers who are interested in purchasing their home.

While getting a roof certification isn’t required to sell a home, it does make the sales process that much easier because it gives potential buyers peace of mind that the home’s roof isn’t going to develop problems right away. It also makes your home sale more competitive with neighboring homes. Being prepared and just might make the difference for someone debating between two homes in the neighborhood.

However, if you don’t go through the process to get a roof certification, homebuyers are more likely to offer you a lower bid for the home in anticipation of having to buy a new roof after completing the sale.

Homebuyers looking to get an FHA or VA loan need to make sure any home they purchase has a good roof on it. A damaged or old roof could make it impossible for you to get a home loan, even from a private bank.

According to the Remodeling 2020 Cost vs. Value Report, homeowners recouped 65.9% of the cost of their new asphalt shingle roof through the sale of their home in 2020.

When our inspectors have completed the examination of your roof, they will inform you of any problems they have found and come up with a plan to fix them. If you are getting ready to sell your Southwest Florida home, give Epic Roofing & Exteriors a call for a free estimate on roof repairs or replacement and to find out more about what our residential roofing inspections entail.