Selling a Schenley Park Home With an Older Roof: What Miami Sellers Need to Know

If you are selling a Schenley Park home in Miami, FL 33155 with an older roof, the roof will not stop the sale, but it can stop the buyer’s insurance, and without insurance the buyer’s lender will not fund the loan. Florida insurers cannot refuse a policy just because a roof is under 15 years old, but a roof that is 15 or older needs an inspection showing at least five years of useful life left. Most Schenley Park homes were built in the 1950s, so a 4-point inspection is almost certain. Pull your roof permit, order a wind mitigation report and decide how to handle the roof before you list, not during the inspection period.

By Berenice Elguezabal | September 25, 2026

---

Why an older roof is a closing problem, not a repair problem

Buyers rarely walk away because of how a roof looks. They walk away because they cannot insure the house. Almost every Schenley Park buyer uses a mortgage, and the lender will not fund the loan without a homeowner’s insurance policy in place. If the buyer’s insurer declines the roof, the deal stalls a few days before closing, after you have already taken the home off the market.

That is why the roof matters more in 2026 than it did a few years ago. After the hurricane seasons of the early 2020s, Florida insurers tightened their underwriting, and roof age is one of the first things they look at.

What Florida law says about roof age and insurance

Florida Statute 627.7011(5), which applies to policies issued or renewed since July 1, 2022, sets two rules:

• Roof under 15 years old: an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner’s policy solely because of the age of the roof.
• Roof 15 years or older: the insurer must let the homeowner get a roof inspection by an authorized inspector before requiring a replacement. If the inspection shows five or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not refuse the policy solely because of age.

The law protects against a refusal based on age alone. It does not stop an insurer from declining a roof that is in poor condition, and each company still sets its own underwriting rules. In practice, shingle roofs are often considered insurable up to about 12 to 15 years; tile and metal roofs last longer.

Citizens Property Insurance, the state-backed insurer many Miami buyers end up with, asks for a four-point inspection on homes more than 20 years old and a roof inspection form when a shingle roof is more than 25 years old or a tile, metal or concrete roof is more than 50. The roof has to show at least five years of remaining useful life.

The 4-point inspection: where roof problems show up

A four-point inspection looks at the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating/cooling systems, and it records the age, type and condition of each. Because most Schenley Park homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s, nearly every buyer’s insurer will ask for one.

The timing is what hurts sellers. The buyer usually orders the 4-point during the inspection period of the Florida as-is contract, and the insurance quote comes back 10 to 14 days in. By then you have accepted an offer and planned your move. See the full offer-accepted timeline to see where this falls.

---

Three things to do before you list

1. Find out exactly how old the roof is. Look up your folio number on the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser site, then search the roof permit in the Miami-Dade County permit search. Schenley Park is in unincorporated Miami-Dade, so the county, not a city, issues the permits. The permit final date is the age an insurer will use. An open or missing roof permit is its own problem; see open permits when selling.
2. Order a wind mitigation report. The Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802) documents roof shape, roof-to-wall connections and opening protection. It stays valid for up to five years and can lower a buyer’s windstorm premium, which makes the house easier to insure. In the video I mention that it typically costs $75 to $150. More in my wind mitigation guide.
3. If the roof is 15 years or older, get a roof inspection now. A licensed inspector’s report showing five or more years of remaining life gives the buyer’s insurer what it needs, and you learn about any problem before a buyer does.

Replace the roof or give a credit?

Roof replacement in Miami-Dade generally runs from about $20,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on size, material and permitting. The honest math usually favors dealing with it yourself or pricing for it clearly, because a buyer who has to replace a roof does not price it at cost. They price it at inconvenience, and that number is almost always higher than your real cost.

• Replace before listing when the roof is near the end of its life and you want the widest pool of financed buyers. Keep the permit and the final inspection for the listing.
• Get the roof certified when it is 15 or older but still sound. The inspection report is often enough.
• Offer a credit or adjust the price when you cannot or do not want to replace it. Put it in the offer, not as a surprise after inspections; see seller concessions in Schenley Park.
• Sell as-is to a cash buyer or builder when the home is a likely teardown. Many Schenley Park lots are bought for new construction; see selling as a teardown.

Whichever route you choose, run it through your net proceeds so you compare real numbers. And remember that a roof is a repair buyers do care about; it rarely belongs on the what not to fix list.

---

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell my house in Florida with an old roof?
Yes. There is no law that stops the sale. The risk is that the buyer cannot get homeowner’s insurance, and without it a lender will not fund the mortgage. Knowing the roof’s age and condition before you list lets you price for it or fix it before a buyer finds it.

How old can a roof be to get insurance in Florida?
Under Florida Statute 627.7011, an insurer cannot refuse a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. For a roof 15 years or older, the insurer must allow an inspection, and if it shows at least five years of useful life left, the policy cannot be refused solely because of age. Each company still has its own underwriting rules.

Should I replace my roof before selling my Miami home?
If the roof is near the end of its life, replacing it usually opens the home to more financed buyers and avoids a large price reduction. If the roof is older but in good condition, a roof inspection certifying five or more years of life may be enough. If the home is likely to be torn down, a credit or an as-is sale can make more sense.

When is a 4-point inspection required in Florida?
Insurers set their own rules. Citizens Property Insurance requires a four-point inspection for homes more than 20 years old, which includes almost every home in Schenley Park. It reviews the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling systems.

Does a wind mitigation report help sell a house?
It can. The OIR-B1-1802 report documents the features that resist wind damage, stays valid for up to five years and can lower the buyer’s windstorm premium, which makes the home easier to insure and the payment easier to approve.

---

An older roof is one of the few issues that can undo a signed contract in Schenley Park. If your roof is 15 years or older, let’s look at it, and at your price, before a buyer’s insurer does.

• Home valuation: Request your home value
• 📞 305-301-3290
• 📧 Bere@BereHomes.com

This article is general information for Miami-Dade homeowners, not legal, insurance or construction advice. Insurance rules change and each insurer sets its own underwriting; confirm your situation with your insurance agent, a licensed inspector and a licensed roofer.