I hear you on the “fast track” fees feeling like a bit of a wallet diet, but I’ve actually seen them work—sometimes. It’s rare, but when you get an underwriter who’s had their coffee and isn’t buried in files, that extra fee can nudge things along. It’s honestly a bit of a gamble, though. I once had a client pay for rush processing, and the only thing that rushed was the invoice. Still, if you’re up against a tight deadline (like a 1031 exchange window), sometimes it’s worth rolling the dice... just don’t expect miracles every time.
Yeah, I totally get that “rush fee” gamble. When I was buying my first place, I paid extra for a “priority review” and honestly, it just made me more anxious waiting for updates. The process still dragged on. Maybe it works better for commercial stuff, but I’m not convinced it’s always worth the extra cash unless you’re really desperate for speed.
I hear you on the “rush fee” anxiety. I’ve seen folks pay for expedited processing, only to find out the bottleneck was actually with the appraiser or title company, not the lender. Sometimes it helps, but it’s not a magic bullet. Curious—did your lender ever explain what the priority review actually covered? I’ve noticed some banks are clearer than others about what you’re really getting for that extra cash.
I’ve seen folks pay for expedited processing, only to find out the bottleneck was actually with the appraiser or title company, not the lender.
That’s exactly it—people think tossing money at a “rush fee” guarantees a faster close, but half the time it just means your file sits at the front of one line and then waits in another. I’ve had clients get frustrated when they realize the lender’s “priority review” only covers their internal underwriting, not the third-party stuff. Some banks are upfront about it, others… not so much.
I’m curious, has anyone here actually had a rush fee make a real difference? I’ve seen it help in rare cases, but more often than not, it’s just a way for lenders to pad their margins. Personally, I’d rather see folks focus on prepping their docs and staying on top of the title and appraisal teams. Sometimes a quick call or email to those folks moves things along faster than any fee.
Has anyone tried negotiating the rush fee down or getting it waived? I’ve seen that work if you push back a little, especially if you’re a repeat client or have strong credit.
RUSH FEES AREN’T ALWAYS WORTH IT
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen a rush fee make a difference—just not often enough to justify the cost most of the time. Once, I was up against a hard deadline and the lender’s rush fee did push my file through underwriting in two days instead of a week. But then, like you said, it just sat with the appraiser for another ten days anyway. Felt like I paid extra for nothing.
Honestly, I think people underestimate how much control they have over the process just by being organized. Having every document ready and double-checking for missing info saves more time than any “priority” service. And yeah, calling the title company or appraiser directly can actually get things moving faster than waiting for your loan officer to do it.
I’ve tried negotiating those fees down too. Sometimes they’ll budge if you ask, especially if you point out that your file is already clean or you’re bringing them repeat business. But if they won’t move on it, I’d rather save my cash and just stay on top of everyone involved.
At the end of the day, unless there’s a real emergency or some kind of drop-dead closing date, I’d skip paying extra. Most delays aren’t even on the lender’s side anyway... it’s always someone else holding things up. Just my two cents—sometimes being persistent (and maybe a little annoying) gets better results than throwing money at it.
