Roof Inspections and Certifications for Real Estate Agents
For buyer agents, listing agents, and transaction coordinators, a documented roof inspection and, where the roof qualifies, a two-year certification turn a roof question into something escrow can close on. We assess the full roof, document the condition with photos of every slope, and deliver a report your clients and their lenders can rely on. Licensed since 1987, no advance deposit.
Two Tracks: Buyer Agents and Listing Agents
Whether you represent the buyer or the seller, the roof shows up at a different point in the deal. We work both sides of the transaction.
Protect your buyer during the contingency period
- An inspection scheduled inside the contingency period, before contingencies are removed
- A report that answers the roof questions buyers ask: condition, remaining life, and what needs attention
- A documented repair scope your client can use in credit and repair negotiation
- A re-inspection after repairs to confirm the work and update the record
Get ahead of the roof before it stalls the sale
- A pre-listing inspection and, where the roof qualifies, a two-year certification
- Disclosure support for the roof line on the TDS and in your MLS remarks
- Three outcomes handled clearly: certify as-is, repair then certify, or replace
- Documentation ready before the first offer, so the roof is not a surprise
What the Agent Receives
One consistent deliverable you can drop into the file, hand to a client, or attach to a disclosure.
Written report with photos of every slope
A written report documenting the roof, with photographs of every slope so the condition is on the record, not described from the ground.
Condition by component
Condition documented component by component: covering, flashing, penetrations, drainage, structure and deck, and the attic.
Remaining useful life opinion
A plain-language opinion on how many years of service the roof has left, based on the documented condition.
Repair scope where needed
When the roof needs work, a documented repair scope your client can use in negotiation, priced separately from a written estimate.
Two-year certification when the roof qualifies
Where the roof qualifies, a two-year roof certification, which transfers to the buyer at close so the coverage follows the home.
Timing in the Transaction
The roof fits into the deal at predictable points. Here is when to order and what to expect.
When to order
Buyer side: early in the contingency period, before contingencies are removed. Listing side: before you go live, so the roof is documented ahead of offers.
Scheduling
We schedule inspections promptly, typically within 1 to 2 business days of the request.
On-site time
An inspector is on site for the time the roof requires, documenting the full roof system rather than a quick look.
Report delivery
Written reports are typically delivered within a few business days of the inspection.
Re-inspection after repairs
When repairs are made during the deal, we re-inspect to confirm the work and update the record, typically within a few business days.
Tight escrow timelines
If your closing date is tight, tell us when you order and we will prioritize the scheduling so the roof does not hold up the file.
For Lenders and Appraisers
When a loan file or an appraisal raises a roof question, our report is independent, third-party documentation of the roof's condition and remaining life. Requirements vary by lender and loan type, so confirm the specifics with the lender.
FHA questions
When an FHA file flags the roof, our documented condition report and remaining-life opinion give the lender third-party evidence to work from. Specific requirements vary by lender.
VA questions
For a VA loan that raises a roof concern, we document the roof's condition in writing with photographs. The report is independent evidence; the lender sets the requirement.
Conventional questions
On a conventional loan, an underwriter or appraiser roof note is answered with a written condition report and, where the roof qualifies, a two-year certification. Requirements vary by lender.
Why Agents Refer Roof Doctors
Agents send clients to Roof Doctors because the roof gets documented the right way, by a roofing contractor rather than a generalist.
A licensed roofing contractor, not a general inspector
Roof Doctors is a licensed C-39 roofing contractor. A general home inspector flags the roof; we document it in roofing detail, scope any repair, and can certify it when it qualifies.
Decades of roofs documented
Inspecting California roofs since 1987, with more than 400,000 roofs inspected. Your client gets an assessment grounded in that experience.
Coverage where your listings are
Service across California, plus Nevada and Arizona, so a multi-market agent works with one roofing contractor.
No advance deposit
Your client pays after the work is completed to their satisfaction. No deposit is required to schedule.
Trusted by Real Estate Professionals
Agents, brokers, and home-warranty companies rely on Roof Doctors for documented roof inspections and certifications that keep transactions moving. We are a trusted roofing partner to leading real estate and home-warranty organizations.
How to Order
One contact for your transactions. Call (800) 913-1180 to set up agent ordering, or start an inspection or certification right now with the realtor form below. There is no advance deposit.
Pick a time that works for you. It takes about two minutes.
Related Roofing Services
For a transaction, these connect to the rest of our roofing services.
Roof Certification
The two-year certification buyers, lenders, and escrow ask for, with the certification-vs-warranty detail.
Roof Inspections
Our full roof inspection service. Inspections for real estate transactions are one part of it.
Inspections for Insurance Brokers and Carriers
Underwriter-ready condition reports for brokers, agencies, and carrier teams.
Roof Inspections and Certifications for Agents: Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can you deliver a report for escrow?
We schedule promptly, typically within 1 to 2 business days of the request, and deliver the written report typically within a few business days of the inspection. If your closing date is tight, tell us the escrow deadline when you order so we can prioritize the scheduling.
Can the certification transfer to the buyer at closing?
Yes. Where the roof qualifies for a two-year certification, the certification transfers to the buyer at close, so the coverage follows the home to the new owner.
Who pays, buyer or seller?
Either works, and it is often set by the contract or local custom. A listing agent may order a pre-listing certification for the seller, or a buyer agent may order an inspection during the contingency period for the buyer. Tell us how you want it handled when you order; there is no advance deposit.
What happens if the roof needs repairs before closing?
We provide a documented repair scope you can use in negotiation. If the repairs go ahead, we can perform them and then re-inspect to confirm the work, and where the roof then qualifies, issue the two-year certification. That keeps the roof from stalling the deal.
Is this the same as the home inspector's roof section?
No. A general home inspector notes the roof as one part of a whole-house report. Roof Doctors is a licensed roofing contractor, so we document the roof in roofing detail, photograph every slope, give a remaining-life opinion, scope any repair, and can certify the roof. It is roof-specific documentation a generalist does not provide.
Should the seller certify before listing or wait for the buyer to ask?
Certifying before listing usually serves the seller better. It documents the roof up front, supports the disclosures, and removes a common point of renegotiation once an offer is in. Waiting until a buyer asks puts the roof on the clock during the contingency period, when there is less room to repair and re-inspect.
Set Up Agent Ordering
Order a buyer-side inspection or a pre-listing certification. A licensed roofing contractor documents the roof, scopes any repair, and certifies it when it qualifies, on your transaction timeline. No advance deposit.