I get that call once every week, sometimes more.
“Hi, my neighbor said you could help me. I’m trying to sell
my house…”
And I could finish the rest of the conversation on my own,
I’ve heard this happen enough times.
“…and the home inspector said…”
or “…and the buyer wants…”
or “…but the buyer can’t get insurance…”
I don’t even have to be an expert to know how this goes. I mean,
I am an expert, but that’s
not the point here.
The bottom line is, the caller has the semi-infamous Atlas
Chalet shingles on their roof. A 30-year, 3-tab, faux-architectural curve ball
to any home sale. Maybe they knew and did nothing. Maybe they didn’t know, and
now they find themselves stuck. Either way, they want to sell their home (and
more importantly, buy a new one), and these shingles are preventing it, one way
or another.
Let’s get real for a minute and maybe save you the headache
of being one of these callers. I’m going to dig into some real scenarios that
have really happened to Atlanta and Charlotte residents trying to sell (or buy)
a home. I’ll probably get another one tomorrow, in fact.
Scenario 1: Someone’s home inspector knows their stuff.
That home inspection report that is supposed to report a
mystery light switch, and the garage door sensor being out of alignment from
too many blows from a kid’s bicycle tire comes back instead with something that
actually alarms you. “Discontinued.” “Prone to failure.” “Class action.”
“Blistered.” “May be defective.”
Suddenly, the buyer wants it replaced. Or they just don’t
want it. Or maybe the caller is the potential buyer, and wants to know if it’s
a big deal or not. Either way, this sale is now in jeopardy.
Scenario 2: The buyer can’t get insurance.
“I’ve had the same agent for 15 years, and I can’t get
insurance on this house!” Yep. The insurance companies know what the Atlas
Chalet is. And many of them know that it “has a reputation,” and it will need
replacement. Would you insure it? Hopefully, you’re a good person, and you
would. But insurance companies all have one thing in common: they’re insurance
companies. Insurance is all about gambling, and no one bets on a sick horse to
win the race, after all. Many companies will not insure a property that has
Atlas Chalet shingles, and just as many will only do it with some kind of
special provision. “House, but not roof.” “Ok, the roof, but not the full cost
to replace.” “Oh, sure, whole house, but with a $20,000 deductible.” I can’t
really blame them for it, but if you’re one of their customers, I’ll bet you
do.
So what’s the solution? How do you get out of this?
First of all, don’t get caught in this situation. Like Mr.
Miyagi said, “Best way to avoid punch, no be there.”
Do you have a Chalet roof? Is it damaged? How would you
know?
Let’s get one thing straight: don’t call a roofer.
Now you’re thinking, “Why? What sense does that make?”
Easy. Roofers sell roofs. Do you feel like you should have
to buy one? Don’t you pay for insurance knowing that, one day, you might have
to, you know, use it?
What you need is a restoration company. Specifically, one
that knows not only roofing, but also how insurance companies work, and how to
get them to pay what you deserve.
Am I making sense yet?
A restoration company knows how the insurance game is
played. Many of them even have licensed or former adjusters and agents on
staff. Most importantly, they have the knowledge that you need, and that many
roofers don’t. That’s not a crack at roofing companies; I wouldn’t expect a
movie theater usher to know anything about insurance either. If it isn’t a part
of your expertise, what you excel in on a day to day basis, then you aren’t the
one to call.
So where do you find a restoration company? That’s where
Regal comes in.
Regal Restoration has been Atlanta’s Atlas Chalet experts
since 2011. We have done this *thousands* of times. No one knows them better,
and that’s why we’re the ones to call. We can evaluate your home while you
watch or wait, and tell you *on the spot* what condition your roof is in, show
you photographs of our concerns, and most importantly, help you make your next
decision. And the best part?
There is no risk to you. We don’t charge for the inspection.
We don’t charge if we can’t help you. We don’t take any money before the work
begins.
So if you are selling a home (or buying one), and an Atlas
Chalet roof is a concern for you, call Regal. There is no obligation, and no
risk. Check out our website for more information, and call us to find out what
we can do for you.
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