Can a New Roof Boost Curb Appeal?
Subtle, Yet Powerful
No one would suggest that a homeowner replace a roof simply to increase curb appeal for a quick sale. However, if your roof is 15 to 20 years old and showing wear, a new roof can boost curb appeal and increase the value of your home.
Certainly, there are a variety of eye-popping options to increase curb appeal. A simple Google search links to an array of articles with short and long lists of how to grab the attention of passersby. Everything from designer windows, tasteful landscaping, new siding or a color coordinated paint job to a statement-making front door. A subtle, yet powerful statement can be made by choosing the right color, texture, and pattern for a new roof. It may not be the first thing the eye is drawn to but a roof symbolizes family safety and security. One that is worn, tattered, or showing lost shingles can deter a sale or provide a potential buyer with leverage to bargain on the sale price.
Roofing Materials to Consider
New roofing materials have evolved over the last decade, expanding your choices. Whether you want composite shingles, clay or slate tiles, metal, or even single-ply Duro-Last, a custom-fabricated roofing system that is gaining in popularity for residential use, you have your pick of colors, textures, and styles. You can also achieve very interesting patterns.
If you aren’t certain about what materials to choose, or the exact color choices you want, we recommend taking home an actual sample of the roofing material and placing it on your roof, so you get an idea of what it will look like. If you have colored pavers or bricks, it would be a good idea to take them into consideration. While the exterior paint theme of your home may change every so often, it is unlikely the pavers or bricks will be torn up. Choosing a complimentary color could add to the overall feeling of continuity.
Simple or dramatic, expensive or moderately priced, a new roof can represent a solid investment.
John Skinner, of The Madison Company Realtors, put it this way, “The very first thing a prospective buyer will look at when driving up to a property, is the condition of the roof. If the roof is showing age and wear, it becomes a metaphor for how the owner has not cared for the property, and there will always be a nagging sense that there might be more issues to be discovered. If the seller is unwilling, or financially unable to keep the most important system of the home in good repair, the buyer (and Buyer’s agent) then goes on a mission to discover the true condition of every system in the home.
Conversely, in pulling up to a home with a new roof, there is an immediate sense of soundness, safety, and protection. Buyers may simply ‘Like’ the house more, without even understanding why. These are the unconscious beginnings of respect and the extension of trust for the owners, which are the foundations of goodwill: an essential component of a successful escrow.
They value the property more highly, and this translates into a higher purchase price.”
We have a long history of helping homeowners make important decisions. Booth & Little Roofing is a union roofing company and our employees have been with us for an average of 16 years. Call today and one of our expert roofers will assist you with your roofing questions.