Most real estate agents advise replacing the roof, because nobody wants to buy a house with an old roof.
But, I look at it differently. If a roof is 20 years old I would be worried that it is damaged even though the seller says its functional. I also would also be worried that the sheathing underneath the roof is damaged. If a seller puts a new roof on a house to sell it, they go to the cheapest roofer they can find and they don't necessarily fix everything that needs to be fixed. So, I'd rather put my own roof on and pay less for the house. But that is just me. Most people don't see it that way. They would rather buy a house with a new roof.
Also, there is a complication which is that a buyer will have trouble insuring the new house unless it has a newer roof. That might necessitate a new roof before closing.
If the roof is 20 years old and the AC is 20 years old, how is the rest of the house. Is there 20 year old carpet and 20-year old appliances, and a 20 year-old bathroom? How is the water heater? It might just be a gut-remodel anyway. If it were me I wouldn't try to fix everything, I would price it attractively.
There are a lot of existing houses for sale in the villages. The market is terrible for sellers. Offering a home as-is at a very low price compared with competition could be a decent strategy. But I am pretty sure not many agree with me.
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