Grand Rapids homeowner, contractor, and agent discussing old roof before selling

What should I do if my Grand Rapids home has an old roof when selling?

ByJason Pohlonski

If you’re preparing to sell your Grand Rapids home and know the roof is aging or near the end of its life, you’re not alone. Many sellers face this scenario—especially in neighborhoods where homes are 20, 30, or even 50 years old. The roof’s condition can be a sticking point, impacting your listing’s activity and the types of offers you receive, particularly when buyers rely on traditional financing. Understanding your options and the local market’s response is crucial to making the best decision for your sale.

Quick Answer

If your Grand Rapids home has an old roof, you typically have three main options: repair or replace it before listing, disclose the roof’s age and sell as-is, or adjust your pricing and terms to reflect its condition. Each approach has trade-offs in terms of speed, negotiation leverage, and net proceeds. What’s right depends on your goals, local market conditions, and the strength of offers you’re seeing.

Most sellers in Grand Rapids don’t have to replace a roof to sell, but being upfront about its age and factoring that into your strategy is key. If you’re dealing with this, I’m happy to walk through it with you.

1. Positioning Your Home: Disclose and Document the Roof’s Condition

The first decision is how transparent you’ll be about the roof’s age and condition. In Michigan, sellers are required to complete a Seller’s Disclosure Statement, which asks about the roof’s age and any known issues. Proactively sharing the roof’s approximate age, past repairs, and current status helps set buyer expectations and reduces the risk of surprises during inspection or appraisal.

Jason’s take: “I always advise my Grand Rapids sellers to gather any available roof paperwork—like installation receipts or past repair invoices. This documentation can reassure buyers and their lenders that you’ve maintained the home, even if the roof is older.”

2. Pricing Your Home: Reflect the Roof’s Remaining Life

Pricing is where many sellers can either lose or gain leverage. If your roof is near the end of its useful life, savvy buyers and their agents will factor that into their offers. Compare your home to recent sales of properties with similar roof ages and adjust your price accordingly. If most comparables had newer roofs, you may need to price more aggressively to attract offers and offset the perceived cost to replace it. The National Association of Realtors confirms that visible deferred maintenance, like an old roof, impacts both price and days on market.

Jason’s take: “If the listing isn’t generating activity after a week or two, the market may be telling you the price isn’t accounting for the roof’s condition. This is where sellers need to adjust quickly to avoid a stale listing.”

3. Timing and Offer Terms: Be Prepared for Inspection and Appraisal Risk

Old roofs often become an issue during the buyer’s inspection or lender’s appraisal. Many Grand Rapids homes are sold using FHA, VA, or conventional loans, which may require the roof to have a certain number of years of remaining life. If the inspector or appraiser flags the roof, you could face repair demands, escrow holdbacks, or even a denied loan unless the issue is resolved. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how inspection findings can affect sales and loan approvals.

To avoid delays, some sellers choose to get a pre-listing roof inspection and share the report with potential buyers. Others factor possible concessions into their negotiation strategy. Consider your timeline and willingness to negotiate if the issue comes up late in the process.

4. Negotiation: Decide If You’ll Offer Credits, Repairs, or Sell As-Is

When offers come in, be ready to address the roof. You might get requests for a new roof, a repair, or a closing credit. If your price already reflects the roof’s age, stand firm—but be prepared to show comparables to justify your position. If the market isn’t responding, offering a modest credit or paying for repairs can sometimes keep the deal moving, especially if a lender requires it.

For as-is sales, make it clear in your listing that the home is priced accordingly. If you’re receiving multiple offers, you might be able to negotiate less on the roof issue. If activity is slow, flexibility can be the difference between closing or going back to market.

Real Seller Case Study: Navigating a Roof Issue in Grand Rapids

Last year, I worked with a Grand Rapids seller whose 27-year-old roof was showing its age, but had never leaked. The seller was concerned it would scare off buyers or kill deals during inspection. We priced the home in line with similar properties that hadn’t replaced their roofs, and included a recent roof inspection report in the listing docs. Showings were steady, but the first offer asked for a $10,000 roof credit. Rather than giving in, we countered with a $4,000 credit and pointed to other homes with similar roofs that sold at comparable prices. The buyer accepted, the lender approved the roof’s remaining life, and the seller moved on without the hassle or expense of a full replacement.

Grand Rapids Market Insight

In Grand Rapids, many sellers list homes with roofs over 20 years old—especially in established neighborhoods. The market typically expects some deferred maintenance, but homes with documented roof history and realistic pricing continue to see steady activity and successful sales, even when the roof isn’t brand new.

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling in Grand Rapids

  • Do I have to replace my old roof before selling my Grand Rapids home?
    Usually not, but you may need to adjust your price or negotiate credits depending on the market and your home’s condition.
  • Can I sell my home as-is if the roof is old?
    Yes, but be upfront in your disclosures and listing. Expect buyers to factor the roof’s condition into their offers.
  • Will an old roof affect the buyer’s financing or appraisal?
    It can, especially for FHA or VA loans. Some lenders require a roof with at least 3–5 years of remaining life.
  • Should I get a pre-listing roof inspection?
    It can help you document the roof’s actual condition, set expectations, and avoid surprises during the sale process.

Related Resources

About the Author


Jason Pohlonski
 is a Michigan licensed real estate salesperson with Keller Williams Grand Rapids East. He helps buyers and sellers throughout Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Forest Hills, Ada, Byron Center, Jenison, Cascade, and surrounding West Michigan communities.

Jason began his real estate career in Chicago in 2004, later expanding his experience in Ann Arbor from 2014 to 2019, and has been serving clients in the Grand Rapids area since 2019.

With over 20 years of combined real estate experience across multiple markets, Jason focuses on helping clients make clear real estate decisions involving pricing, offer terms, inspections, appraisals, relocation timing, and buy-sell planning.

Industry Recognition

Jason is recognized by platforms and industry organizations including Zillow, Grand Rapids Magazine Real Estate All-Stars, and Real Producers for his work serving West Michigan buyers and sellers.

Jason also supports One More Moment, a nonprofit that grants wishes to late-stage cancer patients, by donating $100 for every successful closing.

Professional Disclosure

Jason Pohlonski
Michigan Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
License Verification: Verify Michigan License #6501386166
Brokerage: Keller Williams Grand Rapids East
Brokerage Office: 1555 Arboretum Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

📱 Call or text: 616-916-9770
📅 Schedule consultation:
https://calendly.com/pohlonskirealestate/30min
📧 Email: jpohlonski@kw.com

This article reflects real client experiences and market conditions in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities at the time of publication. Real estate outcomes can vary depending on market conditions, property characteristics, buyer demand, financing terms, inspection results, appraisal results, and lender requirements.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, insurance, engineering, inspection, or floodplain determination advice. Buyers and sellers should consult qualified professionals before making decisions involving financing, insurance, inspections, taxes, legal issues, or property risk.

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