When people are out shopping for residential real estate, they are excited about the possibility of buying their dream home. Then they find a place that seems ideal except for one very large problem: it needs a new roof to be installed by Roofers in Lynnwood WA. That pushes the cost of buying the house past their budget. Now what?
Legalities of the Transaction
There’s no simple answer as to whether a real estate seller or buyer is responsible for replacing a deteriorated roof. Legally, the problem must be disclosed to potential buyers, but the owner is not obligated to have the work done before the sale. Roofers in Lynnwood WA will replace this part of the structure after they contract with the owners looking to sell or the new buyers who really want the home.
The Possibility of Repair
If the roof is leaking in one spot, a possible option would be for the new buyers to hire a contractor such as Business Name to repair that area. If the roof is old, it’s likely to spring a leak somewhere else within a relatively short time, though. The people considering buying the house must keep that in mind. Even if they can put off new roof installation for year, however, that might be enough to allow them to buy the house now and schedule that big project for the following year.
Routine Inspection
There’s a bit of a risk with this strategy because leaks can go undetected for some time. The buyers would need to commit to checking all areas of the house for leaks after each rainfall. That includes an attic above the living area, inside closets and other parts of the house that aren’t routinely viewed.
Concluding Thoughts
Many aspects of real estate transactions are negotiable as long as they are not prohibited by law. Sellers are not required by law to replace a deteriorated roof, although some real estate agencies use contracts that prohibit the sale of a house with an actively leaking roof. Buyers and sellers can negotiate a fair price for the place that satisfies everyone.
