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Amazingly enough I could not find any signs of leakage when I came across this flat roof covered with Roll Roofing (though without a doubt it had to be leaking). This is roll roofing after about 10 to 15 years. Imagine taking asphalt shingles and making a big roll out of it. It is the one of the least expensive way to cover a flat roof and the lowest quality.
I automatically assume that any Flat Roof covered by Roll Roofing may need to be replaced within about 5 years EVEN IF BRAND NEW. When buying a home, often access to the roof is difficult. Flat roofing, especially, should be inspected by a Trusted Roofer or a Home Inspector. Roll Roofing costs a fraction of what a proper roofing job would. Any decent inspector should be able to identify what type of material is used and at what point in the life-cycle of the roofing in. Is it new, or at the end of it’s life?
In the above case, without accessing the roof I wouldn’t have had any idea of the extent of work needed to repair and replace the worn roofing. A good modern flat roofing job should last over 20 years. Imagine now that the owners said the roof was 10 years old and even provided a receipt (how ever inflated). The new owners would have been told the truth, made wrong assumptions then left with a hefty immediate expense upon taking possession.
By the way, Never walk on a roof that looks like this. If it isn’t leaking, it will after you walk on it. Also, there is no way to know how badly the roof is underneath. The plywood could be completely rotted and your weight might cause you to crash through.