You've found a home you love, but unfortunately, the roof is in poor shape. What should you do? Well, you could walk away and find a different house, but that would be a shame since there is so much you like about this one. So if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you are probably better off negotiating with the seller to try and get the roof replaced before you buy the home. Here are some tips for doing so.

Make it clear you want the roof replaced and not just repaired.

Many times, upon hearing that the buyer wants the roof replaced, the seller will try to convince the buyer that the home will be just fine with a few roofing repairs instead. For instance, they may suggest replacing just the damaged shingles instead of doing a complete tear-off and replacement. This approach does not really benefit you, though. Sure, the repairs may get you a few more years out of the aging roof, but that's about it. The home will still need a new roof a couple of years down the road, and then you'll have to pay for it yourself. Make it clear to the home seller that you want a new roof on the home—not just a few new shingles or new flashing.

Get a quote from a roofing company.

It can be really tough to estimate how much a roof replacement will cost. The price can vary widely based on your regional economy, the size of the home, how intricate the roof design is, and so forth. A good starting point, therefore, is to have a roofing company come out and give an estimate. This way, you and the seller will be on the same page as to how much the roof replacement is worth.

Be open to taking the cost of the roof off the sales price.

Your goal should be to have the seller replace the roof and then sell you the home. However, some sellers may not have the cash on hand to pay for the roof replacement and may therefore be unwilling and unable to go this route. If this happens, consider just asking the seller to take the price of the roof off the asking price instead. This way, they don't have to come up with any money immediately out of their own pocket. For example, if a new roof will cost $5,000, you can ask the seller to deduct $5,000 from the sales price so you can immediately replace the roof when you move in.

Don't automatically walk away from a house because it needs a new roof. Once you get a quote from a roof replacement company, you can negotiate from there.

To learn more about roof replacement, contact a local roofing company.