Selling a House that Needs a New Roof Quickly

It’s really no surprise that repairing the roof just got away from you.

With so many personal and professional distractions, it simply fell down the list of priorities.

For a while, you and your kids could live with it—especially since it didn’t leak, during storms. That made getting through the separation from your partner a little easier and finding a new job go a lot faster.

You were even able to organize and donate a lot of things from your parents’ old place so that you didn’t have to try selling a house full of furniture, knickknacks, and stacks of old newspapers and magazines. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you’re able to intently focus.

It’s also amazing how quickly problems can go from bad to worse when you ignore them.

Home repairs, in particular, can turn from minor to major in one fell swoop and force you to drop everything else. Your roof is a perfect example.

All it took was one unseasonably heavy rainfall to do some serious damage—just when you were getting ready to put your home on the market.

Selling a house that needs a new roof is tricky, however, and you may not be sure how to proceed. Fix it, replace it, sell it as-is? With your new job relocating you and the family to another town soon, you need to figure things out fast.

The Difficulty of Selling a House that Needs a New Roof

As you probably already suspect, selling a house that needs a new roof can be difficult and costly, whether you repair the damage, replace the roof, or try selling your home as-is.

Selling a house that needs repairs of any kind is hard; but, something like a damaged roof can make or break the deal. When you need that deal to close—and quickly—finding a way to handle your escalating stress also becomes a priority.

So, let’s take a detailed look at your options to determine what has the highest potential for getting your house sold as fast, and stress-free, as possible.

Repair the Damage

Roofs aren’t meant to last forever and, depending on where you live, that usually means you’ll have to replace them somewhere around the 20-year mark.

Repairs made along the way on minor damage caused by strong winds, fallen branches, hard rain, and direct sunlight can lengthen the life of your roof—and lighten the load on your bank account. You and your roof will benefit most by performing repairs as soon as possible, however.

When that isn’t possible, making repairs to the roof as a part of getting ready to sell your house is your next best option—assuming the damage hasn’t gone from bad to worse.

The condition of the roof is something home buyers look at and, if repairs need to be made, will likely mention it in their offer. In fact, as a part of the terms, they may ask that you repair the roof anyway or provide them with a credit towards the purchase. So, to ensure you receive the best possible offer and terms, you might as well go ahead and get the roof fixed.

The cost of repairing the roof, unfortunately, can deter you. Even the expense of repairing an inexpensive flat or single-ply roof—which may run upwards of $400—can break the bank when you’ve got other, more pressing financial obligations on your plate.

On average, metal and slate roof repairs, according to HomeAdvisor, will cost triple that amount. If you’ve been putting repairs off, your costs will likely be that much higher. You may even find you have to replace the roof altogether.

Replace the Roof

If you’ve waited to make repairs and now find the damage has gotten worse—or, your roof is a couple of decades old and the house really should have a new one—replacing the roof has its benefits.

You’ll certainly have a better chance of staying warm and dry should there be a bad storm. The home will be more appealing to potential buyers, too, since most want a move-in-ready house. Those who are interested, they’re more likely to make you a fair offer.

Replacing a roof, however, will set you back considerably—much more than if you’d performed repairs over the years.

At a minimum, you’re looking at footing a bill of more than $4,000, according to Angie’s List. But, it could go as high as $14,000.

If you struggled with paying for repairs in the past, you’ll find it nearly impossible to pay for a roof replacement now.

There’s no guarantee that what you make on the house when you sell it will cover your repair costs, either.

And, it isn’t worth the risk to the house or your safety to attempt doing the repairs or replacing the roof yourself to save money. Too many things can go wrong. You might do the work incorrectly and create additional problems, like leaking. Or, you could void the warranty. You could also fall.

As time-consuming as it can be to interview and hire a reputable contractor, then pay them the big bucks to work on your roof, it’s safer. Plus, the work will get done faster.

Sell Your House As-Is

Unfortunately, the work may not get done fast enough to fit the time frame in which you need to sell the house. The reality is you may not have the funds to repair or replace the roof, anyway. So, whether you can make the money back once you finally sell your house isn’t even the point. Getting out from under a home that is causing you and your family a lot of stress, is.

That’s why selling your home as-is may be your best option. After reading that most home buyers prefer houses with decent roofs, that may not be obvious. It may not sound easy, either. If it did, you might have considered selling the house during the separation or while you were job hunting instead of waiting until now.

It’s not too late, however, to take the easier path to selling your house. It’s possible to get paid all cash, too.

The Quickest Fix for Homes that are Fixers

Selling a house that needs a new roof can be a stress-free experience when you find the right as-is all-cash buyer. Preferring fixers, whether they’re major or minor, an experienced and reputable buyer won’t require that you perform any repairs. They won’t even ask that you clean the place up, organize your things, or haul the trash away.

In fact, all you may have to do is take what you want to your new home and just leave the rest in your old one.

When your buyer is a family-owned and operated small business that specializes in providing excellence in customer service, like Sell Your House Direct, your offer will be fair and fast, too. 

SYHD can even close in seven days or less. That kind of quick and easy return on a home that needs a lot of work is a great way to relieve at least one source of stress. It’s also a good start to tackling any others, like going on your first date in a long time.