Random requests from lenders....

[Matt Fellman]

Is anyone else getting a run of off the wall requests from lenders? Usually via an agent or loan broker? I've had some just priceless calls lately.

"Um, yeah, the underwriter just needs you to write up something stating that the roof will last for the next 5 years...."

Or I get sent these wish lists of stuff that some guy in an office somewhere has determined is important.... usually, these are just randomly selected from my report (why the lenders are getting a hold of the entire report is a whole other question).

It's strange because the stuff has nothing to do with pest and dry rot or even perceived safety issues. It's like someone just threw darts and the report and that's what they want fixed.

I figure it's just another sign that the lending industry is in total chaos right now... it's just funny. I've had about a half dozen of these calls over the last month or so. I think a lot of these lenders are so new that they don't even remember back when pest and dry rot reports mattered. It might have been a regional thing but from about 2002 to 2006 I can count on one hand the number of times anyone mentioned needing a p/d report... prior to that the whole thing seemed to hinge on that.

[Rick Hurst]

I get those questions about the roof from lenders quite often. My comeback answer is Hellifino.

The strangest one came when a lender ask if I could determine if the house was on a landfill or not.

I told them I did not do any excavating of the soil so so I guess it could be a possibility. Told them to contact the city or the county on that one as I do not carry a backhoe in the toolbag.

rick

[Nick Ostrowski]

Matt, the standard request I get is for a roof certification which is essentially what you said. They want somebody to put in writing that the roof is going to last "X" number of years. The requests are even more priceless when you have already inspected the property and notated in your inspection report that the roof has issues and needs repairs. "So you want me to state in writing that the roof will last at least 2 more years AFTER I've already inspected it and said it needs repairs??????"

Sometimes when you quiz the person requesting the info as to what it is they want to know specifically, they can't even tell you because they don't know themselves. Not that I would plan on doing what they are asking but curiosity drives me to find out what it is they want.

[Billy Stephens]

"Um, yeah, the underwriter just needs you to write up something stating that the roof will last for the next 5 years..---------

No Problem,

New Roof $8,000.00
...sub fee $2,000.00
Letter .....$1,000.00 backed by Roofing Company

Total = ...$11,000.00

25% deductible on any Claims (Roofing Companies holler a lot on the phone) :)

[Donald Merritt]

I had one where I found a blue tarp over the rear roof area and the lender wanted a letter stating the roof had 5 years of service life. E-mailed him the picture of the blue tarp.;)

Don Merritt