Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
shell_lee_gw

Offer on house - New roof

shell_lee
11 years ago

My husband and I put in an offer to buy a home. The roof is in DESPERATE need of repair. There were shingles laying on the ground. We put into our offer for the seller to put on a new roof. The seller countered well above their asking price with putting on a new roof.

My issue here is this:

Our realtor used to have this house for sale (the listing has since expired). Our realtor told us that the owner already has materials for the roof. There was previous hail damage and their insurance paid the seller to fix the roof. However, the seller didn't touch the roof after receiving money from their insurance company. How can the seller get money from their insurance company to fix the roof and then turn around and expect us to pay more for the house to fix the roof? Isn't this insurance fraud?

Thanks

Comments (10)

  • jane__ny
    11 years ago

    Walk away, they'll never sell it to anyone. They will have to put on the roof or drop their price. I wouldn't negotiate with them at all. You'd be surprised how quickly, the prospect of losing an offer, wakes these sellers up!

    Jane

  • lyfia
    11 years ago

    Well I'd never want these owners to put a new roof on - they would probably do the cheapest and least quality job.

    I would then come back with a reduced offer in however much it would cost for you to put the roof on. If that doesn't work I would walk.

    Who knows what other damage has been done to the house though with a damaged roof. Water is not to play around with.

  • mike_home
    11 years ago

    I agree with the other posters. Your best option is to get an estimate the fix the roof properly. Give the seller the estimate and request this be taken off the price of the house. If the seller is not agreeable then you have to make decision is the house worth the asking price knowing you will have to put in a new roof.

    I would be suspect of this seller. He does not seem to care to fix things which are very obvious. You need to be worrying about things which have not been fixed which are not so obvious.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Do not let the owners put on a new roof.

    Get a price reduction and have the work done yourself.

    You do NOT want the low cost roof they WILL install (with poor flashing and all the other detail work that makes a roof watertight).

  • _sophiewheeler
    11 years ago

    There are plenty of houses out there for sale. Find one. This isn't going to be a good bet to own, even if you get them to drop the price and put the roof on yourself. There's too much potential for something like a fresh paint job over water damage, etc.

    I'd want a contractor--not home inspector-- to inspect it, at minimum before I'd even consider going through with the sale, no matter the price. And I'd want a moisture probe and IR gun to be part of that inspection.

  • krissie55
    11 years ago

    RUN AWAY from this deal.

    YOU will be the loser big time.

    Do not trust a lawyer selected by the buyer. There are many crooked lawyers willing to work in a crooked buyer's favor.

    I personally know how bad the market is right now for a seller, I am a seller at the present time.

    Think about it. If the buyer cannot get a loan, why would you think you would be in a better position to trust the buyer if the lenders will not.

    If your house is used for drugs by the buyers, etc. it will be confiscated and you will lose everything.

    A few years after I sold a house I drove by to see it again and was shocked to see all the FBI and other signs plastered on the windows and door. Fortunately I did not carry the loan, that was a lender's problem and not mine.

    Hang in there and a legitimate buyer will show up sooner or later.

  • cas66ragtop
    11 years ago

    I agree with everyone else - you should walk away from this house no matter what. If the seller is dishonest enough to pocket the money from insurance and not fix the house then he is going to be dishonest with you too. I really can't understand how an insurance company would enable this to happen, I always thought they withheld payment until the job was done. Maybe he has special connections or a lazy, gullible insurance adjustor. Who knows.

    Theres other houses out there - hopefully you can find a better one soon.

  • Adella Bedella
    11 years ago

    Correct me if I am wrong. I think the seller is going to have to fix the roof before he can sell. Otherwise, the roof will not be insurable and the bank won't make a loan.

    Also, isn't there a place you can check to see if an insurance claim has been made on the house?

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "I think the seller is going to have to fix the roof before he can sell. "

    Only if it is actually leaking.

    'Worn out' roofs get insured all the time.

  • loves2read
    11 years ago

    "worn out roofs" don't get insured in some states--
    FL for one

    the home seller is going to be quilty of fraud--
    he took the insurance money to fix the roof--
    he hasn't don't so
    his own home insurance is going to default on the house if he doesn't show proof that he has made the repair

    but I too agree--walk away
    anyone in this situation has money trouble--there are likely other features of the house that are also in bad shape

Sponsored
Interior Style by Marisa Moore
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars57 Reviews
Northern Virginia Interior Designer - Best of Houzz 2013-2020!