I've never encountered this nor heard of it till now, so I do not know. Curious to learn more.

Most lenders that I know will not finance if a roofing credit is in the contract. Sellers here can get a HELOC to replace the roof and pay it off at closing OR some agents here work with roofers who will replace the roof under contract and wait until closing for payment. I know one agent who lost a deal recently because the roof was old/uninsurable and the LA dragged his feet explaining to the seller that they needed to replace the roof if they intended to sell. Eventually the roof was replaced but the seller lost several interested buyers in the meantime.

Let them know they are going to have to pay for it at some point. I have them obtain a roofer's estimate that is good for 90 days and share it with buyers' agents. 

A cash buyer would be great but that buyer is going to offer a price that is lower because of the roof problem. 

Probably better for the seller to find a way to replace the roof and then sell for a better price.

Steven,

My work takes place way before your pertinent issue would take place. When I list, I become aware of everything. What I don't know, the buyers & their agent point out via inspections. We solve it all before or it dies right there. Need roof? Get it done & anything else for that matter. Good question & thank you

Steven Hoeke 

Steven Hoeke I had three Sellers in the past two years who I recommended that they use a company who will replace the roof 15 days prior to closing and get paid at the closing table. It worked really well.

I've not experienced that. If it does happen, I would work with the sellers and the buyer(s) to find a workable solution 

I haven't yet come across this issue. I am seeing carriers charge an exorbitant amount for a policy for a home with a really old roof. I work with my sellers to adjust their price for an old roof or provide an offer of a substantial credit towards a new roof.

Insurance is a requirement for a lender. Unless the buyer is buying cash, get the roof repaired or replaced. 

Not seen it in my area, yet, I am sure it's coming. Came across it in a house search in another area, as a buyer it was replace or I don't buy. It's a sellers problem, don't make it the buyers.

Hello Steven Hoeke it depends on the roof, but it is important to notify.

I have heard of this issue in Florida. Have not had the issue here. I would either have the Seller take an equity loan , replace the roof and payoff at settlement or find a roofing contractor who will replace and receive payment at Settlement if the property is currently under contract. I would nip the issue prior to listing then you can market with a new roof.

It’s a biggie here in N.W.   Florida.  Hopefully sellers know this before we get under contract.  Roof painting/coverings don’t answer the question.

  As Peter Mohylsky, Broker said in his answer, roof age/roof condition is a big deal in Florida.  It is a potential show-stopper.  Especially now that "Hurricane Season" is upon us.

    Things you and your Seller should consider before Listing:

   As Candice A. Donofrio advised,  Sellers should consider having a roof inspection by a licensed contractor.   Get a written report (see the links in my sub-comment below).

   The other person the Seller should contact is their Insurance Carrier / Insurance Agent.  Tell them they are planning to sell the house, is the insurance policy including the roof transferrable to a new Buyer?  Get their answer in writing (letter, text, or email).

First, I'd have a reputable roofing contractor provide their assessment of the roof's actual remaining life. 

I might suggest to the homeowner an equity line to replace or repair the roof. 
We can shop carriers . . . 
We can get a bid to fix or replace and offer a roof credit with contractor at the ready. 

If the deal makes sense, and a buyer had cash and was able to budget in that roof credit from their end (price reduction) that could also work.

Never had that problem.

Would be best to replace that roof before listing it.

Was the roof condition apparent when the offer was made and did the buyers have the opportunity to consider this when making the offer?

How many insurance companies did the buyer contact before determining that the home was "uninsurable"?

Does your contract state that the home must be insurable in order to close or can the buyers fix the roof and insure it after the close?

I offer as many different options to the seller as possible. The best one? Replace the roof and price the house right and all is well! I have even found roofers who will agree to do the job and just get final payout at closing.

Put the roof on now or offer a credit at closing.  Your choice may not be the choice for your buyer 

I had one a couple years ago, and seller agreed to pay the roofer from the proceeds.

Explore the recently promoted roof coatings that come with a warranty for a period of years. Not all riot will qualify, but worth shot. A friend of more did it in Florida and his insurance company accepted the warranty and reissued his policy. When it's time to sell, it's time to sell and cash buyers would want a discount to value more costly than a roof treatment. 

The ONLY time this happened to me I recommended a low budget roofer who did a poor quality job but it was "good enough". I would not ever do that again.

Welcome to the 2026 real estate market, where a perfectly dry, structurally sound roof is treated by underwriters like it’s made of damp tissue paper and cursed by an ancient warlock. It’s maddening. The house is pristine, the buyers are fully approved, and some desk jockey 1,000 miles away zooms in on Google Earth, spots one 16-year-old shingle, and violently smashes the "DECLINE" button.

When the seller is broke, the insurance cartel is clutching its pearls, and the listing is on life support, here is how agents are actually dragging these deals across the finish line:

1. The "Roofer Paid at Closing" Hail Mary

If your seller is sitting on enough equity but zero liquid cash, you find a local roofer who is hungry enough to act as a short-term lender. The roofer installs the lid before closing, and the title company cuts them a check directly from the seller's proceeds on closing day. The buyer gets a shiny, insurable roof, the seller doesn't have to sell plasma to fund it, and the roofer gets paid in 30 +/- days. You just need a contractor who trusts you and a title company that won't bungle the disbursement.

2. The "Pre-Sale Sugar Daddy"

If local roofers refuse to float the invoice, you bring in a pre-listing renovation company (like Curbio or Revive). They front the cash for the roof, slap a lien on the house, and get paid out of escrow at closing. Yes, they charge a premium, and yes, the seller will whine about the fees. This is when you gently remind them that 100% of a dead deal is zero dollars.

3. The "Surplus Lines" Insurance Bridge

Sometimes you have to bypass the standard-market carriers entirely and head into the shadowy, expensive realm of surplus lines. You find a specialty broker willing to write a policy with a Roof Exclusion or an Actual Cash Value (ACV) endorsement. The policy basically tells the lender: "We will rebuild the house if it burns to the ground, but if a stiff breeze takes the roof off, that sounds like a 'you' problem." It binds just enough coverage to satisfy the mortgage underwriter so the loan closes. Then, you negotiate a massive seller credit so the buyer can replace the roof on Day 1 of homeownership.

4. The "Escrow Holdback" Two-Step Tango

You negotiate a hefty seller credit for the roof, but instead of the buyer pocketing the cash to buy a jet ski, the lender holds the funds in escrow. The buyer closes, the roofer shows up the next morning, and the lender releases the funds once the last nail is driven. Warning: Conventional lenders are getting incredibly squeamish about doing this if the house isn't fully insurable on closing day, so you have to run this past the mortgage broker before you bet your commission on it.

5. The "Cash Buyer Haircut"

When all else fails—the seller has no equity, roofers won't play ball, and the insurance companies are laughing at you—it's time for the "Come to Jesus" talk. You steer the seller toward an investor. You look them in the eye, hold their hand, and say, "Because the insurance companies have decided your roof is a radioactive liability, retail buyers cannot get a mortgage. We are now selling to a guy named Chad who buys houses in cash, and Chad expects a heavy discount."

It’s a brutal conversation, but it's better than letting the listing rot on the vine while the seller prays for a localized, highly specific hailstorm.

The TRUTH. Let them find another carrier who will insure. Our home owner's insurance was canceled by Allstate because we live in an outlying area after 40+ years. We've lived here for almost 28 years.

Great questions, Steven! 

When a seller’s roof age makes the property uninsurable, you have to deliver a tough but actionable reality check: "An uninsurable roof means an unloanable house."

Sell it to an investor who will make the improvements and flip the property.

I don't know of a lender willing to finance a roof credit. I address it up front with my sellers and have them call their insurance company if they won't pay easiest is to get a HELOC if they can't pay for it themselves. Do it up front and the sellers can pick what they want!

I would give them tow choices.  First replace the roof or second disclose the condition and make the potential buyer aware of the situation.  I personally would try to sell it if it were my home.  This way the buyer could get the roof they want.  The sales price would reflect the condition.