Do I need to replace this 17yrs old roof?

[Surya Kumar]

I'm closing on my second property and got an offer accepted. I just received the inspection report and the roofing conditions have come back worser than I thought. I know the roof is old (17 yrs) but I thought it had some good 5-6 years left on it. But this is the report I received.

1) The roof covering showed signs of cracking, curling, and loss of granules. This condition generally indicates that the roofing materials are approaching or close to the end of their useful life. Although immediate replacement may not appear necessary at this time, we recommend maintenance be performed on a regular basis with annual inspection by a qualified roofing contractor. The inspector cannot offer an opinion as to whether the roof leaks today unless it is moderately raining at the time of inspection.

2) Maintenance and / or repair is recommended to the flat or low sloped roof. This usually consists of covering all exposed areas with additional flashing material, repairing or sealing any seams, any cracks in the flashing, or any cracks in the roofing material. Given this condition, it is possible that the roof has leaked at one time. Recommend further evaluation by a qualified roofing contractor. The inspector cannot offer an opinion as to whether the roof leaks today unless it is moderately raining at the time of inspection. Client should obtain full disclosure / history information from the seller prior to close.

A bit about the property. $110k list price. Offer accepted for $103k and I would be putting in around $5k for changing electric panel and some touch up. Rents for $1400. New furnace and AC (2018). It is not a flip and would be rent and hold for at least 5 years.The roof is Asphalt Shingles.

With a roof change costing generally around 8-9k, what do you suggest is the best way to handle this situation

• Walk away from the deal.
• I can ask to reduce the price on the house. My problem is here is even they reduce the price ( say 98k-100k), it looks like I may have to change the roof some time in the near future.
• Get a roofing inspection and quote and see any information that the roof inspector provides ( may be how much life is remaining)

Any help to handle this situation is really welcome.