Lender (usda) asking for odd repairs.... How normal is this?

[Anonymous]

I'm using the usda direct loan. They emailed me the repairs that they are requiring to be done, and while a couple are very legit such as a couple issues with the wiring, there are some on there that seem strange to me. They are asking for a couple things that are purely cosmetic, such as a water stain on the ceiling (it is about 6" wide and the leak has been fixed long ago and they know that, there is no mold or anything, the stain just needs to be painted), requiring that the missing window screens be replace (I was not aware a screen was required, what does the usda care if I have them?) and replacing a closet door. Also stuff like the shower head is loose (it's not leaking, you can just jiggle it if you grab it), and some of the doors rub on the carpet a little when they open. These all seem like very superficial things to me. I'm going to live in the house and I do not feel these things need to be done. The house is in such great shape, even the appraiser made the remark to my realtor that they remodeled it really well, but the house has never been remodeled, it's just that well maintained.

is it just me or are these repairs unusual and unnecessary?

[ShanetheMortgageMan]

Property requirements at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/hblist.html say:

The appraiser must provide the required estimates of value on the appropriate form. The

appraiser may also be asked to provide a list of repairs deemed essential for the property to be

made decent, safe, and sanitary

Perhaps the appraiser thought the items you mentioned prevented the home from being "decent", "safe", or "sanitary".  The electrical and door to closet I could see, but the loose shower head, doors rubbing on the carpet, and window screens are questionable to me.  However it wouldn't take much to tighten the shower head, trim 1/8th inch from the bottom of said doors and sand them, and if there aren't too many windows get screens as well, my guess is you wouldn't want to live with the water stain for a long time either, pretty quick fix to paint it I imagine. 

[Anonymous]

I had heard that they were strict on the inspections, so I was nervous about my inspection. It wasn't so bad, they had to get smoke detectors and a handrail for the stairs. The loan official told me they are more picky, because people with the direct are low income and likely could not afford to make repairs at first. Some of the repairs seem small, but if they are let go because of lack of funds, they turn in to big things. Usda has an interest in the property until it is refinanced through another lender or payed off, therefore they want to make sure "everything" is in tip top shape. 

[Anonymous]

Closet door makes sense (especially with kids, closet doors provide some safety)

Fixing doors (doors that rub will destroy the carpet, therefore causing a much more expensive repair)

Shower head loose (takes 5 minutes unless their is a larger plumbing problem (like the whole wall plumbing is loose).  Left unfixed it would eventually start ruining the wall around it and possibly allow water to leak into wall/cause mold/etc

Paint Ceiling (I think it is just a matter of havinf a finished product).  Seems kind of stupid

Window Screens are a safety issue.  We had the same issue at a house we looked at that had NO screens and we were told we would need to replace all of them.  They prevent small children from getting out of houses/etc.  They also make it more efficient as people are more likely to open windows and turn on fans than run AC if they have screens in.