Alaskan Investor Learning Curve: flat roofs

[Nick Bruckner]

Obviously flat roofs aren’t curved. Or sloped. That can be a problem in Alaska. Buildings in parts of the country have these cheap to build lids without issues. In Southcentral Alaska, where there are big snow loads and a freeze/thaw/freeze pattern throughout the winter, the ice can damage seams or imperfections in the roof surface and cause premature leaks, which lead to mold and other issues. They are a bad design for the Arctic and sub arctic. Many commercial and multi family buildings have them, and so it is super important to have documentation of roof maintenance or a qualified roofing inspector inspect in the summer (when there isn’t snow) in the due diligence process. They can be ok if we’ll maintained, but a sloped roof on a multi family investment is a huge plus! Working with local Alaskan RE professionals with building experience can save you from a deal that looks good on paper but has returns that end up being, well, flat…or worse.