Trying to sell your home? Your roof may be the key.

The question on every first-time seller’s mind is “what should I fix about my home, and what should I leave as-is?” The ultimate profit you make from selling your home relies on how wisely you spend your money on improvements and repairs to make your home marketable.

One thing you can be sure of though is that buyers are usually sensitive about the quality of the roof. Because roofs are known to be an expensive repair, it may be in your best interest to make this improvement before selling. But how can you discern whether to leave your roof as-is or if it is worth it to install a new roof? Here are some tips from the real estate world.

#1. Replace the roof if it is at the end of its life.

Buyers are becoming more savvy than ever, and when they are armed with information from the home inspection and their own research, it doesn’t take long to figure out if the roof in question is at the end of its standard lifespan. For asphalt roofs, for example, the typical lifespan is 25 years. If the house was built in 1995 and there are no records of any repairs or replacements, then it will be hard to sell for its full market value in that condition.

• Note: If you don’t have the money to spend on the replacement and can take the financial hit, ask your agent to market your home as a fixer-upper, but it will sell for significantly less. This will attract more investors than standard buyers, which can give you a quick sell but at a price you may not like.

#2: Keep the same roof & make routine repairs if it has at more than a decade of life left in it.

It is difficult to peg a “magic number” of years that buyers are willing to accept before needing to replace a roof, but if your asphalt roof is about 15 years old and in good condition, you can feasibly list it as-is and retain much of your home’s full market value. But in more competitive markets, you may need to have a roof that is 10 years or younger to pass the general criteria of “acceptable.”

• Note: If your roof is relatively new, sweeten the deal for your buyers by including repairs or and detailed roof inspection along with the contract so that they can be fully informed about the roof’s excellent condition and feel off the hook about any immediate repairs. If you’re really nice, set them up with an inspection plan for a couple of years from your funds.

#3: Replace if it makes sense financially.

According to Redfin, the average return on investment for a roof replacement is 53.4% for a full replacement and 61.7% for smaller repairs. Although these numbers are not as exhilarating as the ROI for kitchen or bathroom renovations, your home can end up selling for more than if it kept its old roof. Also, when buyers discover that the roof is at the end of its life and needing repairs, replacement just may be requested on the home inspection contingency addendum during the contract phase. In a buyer’s market, this kind of repair is difficult to avoid, that is, unless you negotiate for a lower price that enables the buyer to pay for the repairs themselves.

#4. Replace if you want to sell faster.

If time is of the essence but you still want a better selling price, you may decide that spending money on your roof is a good idea, especially when you are trying to use your profits to buy another home. Well-maintained homes look better in photographs online and show better in-person, attracting more offers, which increases your chance of selling for the best price.

Efficient Roof Repair & Replacement in Northern VA

Trust the repair and restoration of your roof to the professionals at Noble Roofing. Call (703) 404-0505 for an estimate today or complete our online quote request form.

In the case that your roof is too damaged, Noble Roofing also offers full Roof Replacements. Noble offers a 25 year roof protection warranty when purchasing GAF Roofing Systems.