If that is the bank's rule, it doesn't matter what WE think!

She'll need a stove anyways, so I don't see an issue with buying one now....

Maybe they think that without a stove your sis will resort to cooking her food over candles thus possibly starting a raging fire that then burns down the house?

Seriously, they (lender or title co or insurance co) probably want a functioning kitchen without any safety or health risks (installed to code, no open gas lines, no dangling electrical wires) - and/or they define a kitchen as one that includes a stove. The appraiser can take a picture of a non-working stove if he wants but the inspector should test the stove/oven and he/she will flag it as non-working.

Here's one reason this can be important - we bought our last home without the stove/oven (po's wanted it for some strange reason). We figured it was no big deal, I wanted a brand new stove anyway, not a 20yo one. Turned out that the old one was a smaller size than new ones sold today - just a couple inches, but enough to make installing a new one a real pain. Our kitchen was *not* functional until we ripped out lower cabinets & countertop, moved the electrical and installed new cabs and counters.

It's typical in my area for a house NOT to come with appliances. I sold my town house last year with all appliances in and working, and I think it did help move the house over those who don't......but it is considered an extra here unless it's a new build.

If the range in question was a drop in range, it is considered a "built in" appliance (like a wall oven) and not a free standing one. In many areas of the country, free standing appliances (like fridges) traditionally may or may not not convey to the new owner, but built in ones always convey. Having a missing built in appliance means that the kitchen is not in salable condition for some loans with some banks. It would be similar to a home that had all of the ductwork in place and an actual air handler (fan for the forced air) in the attic, but was missing the furnace that supplied the heat. It's missing an essential part of the built in system.

If you were the bank, would you rather get stuck with a house that has a stove or a house that has no stove?

Mortgage lenders get stuck with far worse things than a house without a stove. Some owners under foreclosure strip EVERYTHING out, including copper wiring and pipes. If the owner was upside down in the mortgage, a stove could be a drop in the bucket in the scheme of things.

It should not be up to the potential buyer to provide a stove. What if the financing didn't go through for other reasons? Would the potential buyer then be stuck with a stove? If it is customary for there to be a stove, then that should have been worked out in negotiations.

The Lender would not require a stove unless, as stated above, it is a built in appliance and the one that was supposed to be there was not operational.

In some areas a stove is required for a certificate of occupancy. I would imagine that the bank would not make the loan without the certificate of occupancy.

each lender wants different things . Our house had no stove or fridge but they didn,t say anything about that. What they did demand was doors on the bedrooms.

How strange is this stove thing??
When I sold my last home, the very old stove finally lost its oven handle, which held together the over door -- and was thus practically useless. It happened days before the close. I paid to have it hauled away -- thank goodness, the buyer didn't want me to replace it at that late date.

When I was buying a home (we wanted a two family type of property) we found a place with a wonderful new apartment built above the garage. The builder/owner got into trouble because he had rented it out and the property was not zoned for rental. Not a problem for us because I was planning to live in the apartment & my son in the house.
Anyway, the city stated that the only way they would approve of this apartment would be to get a permit to remove the stove and to cap the stove's electrical outlet.

It would be OK to keep everything else in place -- bathroom, sink, refrigerator, microwave etc. etc., but absolutely no stove.
Anyway, the deal fell through.
Good luck
Susan

Go to Craigslist, I picked up a two year old Kitchen Aid dishwasher with stainless interior for $75, there's stoves and fridges and complete kitchens now with all the colors since everyone wants stainless (I grew up with stainless, I'm all set) and I needed a black DW.

I suspect that the absence of a stove makes the lender think the house isn't going to be owner occupied.

Honestly, I would get a stove installed and working if only to make sure it can be done. Get one from Craigslist for cheap if money is an issue, and replace it later with what you(she) wants