Had to laugh at the “wire fee” vanishing act—been there. When I refinanced, I swear there was a $175 “processing” fee that nobody could explain. Is there a secret menu of fees or do they just make these up as they go? Makes me wonder what else I missed...
Those random fees drive me nuts too. I’ve seen “courier fees” pop up when everything was handled digitally—like, what are they even delivering? Sometimes it’s just sloppy paperwork, but other times it feels like they’re hoping nobody notices. It’s worth asking for a full breakdown before closing, even if it feels awkward. You’d be surprised what gets “forgotten” or quietly removed when you push back a little.
I’ve seen “courier fees” pop up when everything was handled digitally—like, what are they even delivering?
That one always cracks me up. Here’s my go-to checklist for these “mystery” fees: 1) Ask for a line-item breakdown, 2) Google anything that sounds weird, and 3) Politely question every charge—no shame. Sometimes they’ll just say, “Oh, that’s standard,” but if you push, it magically disappears. I once had a “processing fee” vanish after I asked what exactly was being processed. Never hurts to double-check, even if it feels nitpicky.
Yeah, the “courier fee” thing tripped me up too. I actually flagged it on my closing docs and the lender just shrugged, like it’s just what they do. Here’s what I did:
- Pulled up a sample closing disclosure online to compare.
- Asked my agent if they’d ever seen it removed (they had).
- Emailed the lender for specifics—turns out, it was for “document handling,” whatever that means.
Did you ever get pushback when you questioned a fee? I always wonder if there’s a limit to how much you can negotiate before they get annoyed...
That “courier fee” is such a classic. I’ve seen it called “overnight delivery,” “processing,” or just “miscellaneous.” It’s wild how vague they can be.
I’ve gotten that exact line before and honestly, it never feels like a real answer.“Emailed the lender for specifics—turns out, it was for ‘document handling,’ whatever that means.”
I did push back once on a “wire transfer fee” that seemed inflated. The lender acted surprised but then quietly reduced it by $50 after I pressed. Didn’t even make a big deal about it, just adjusted the numbers. Makes me wonder if these fees are padded in anticipation of people questioning them.
Ever notice how some brokers act annoyed when you ask too many questions about closing costs? At what point does being thorough cross into being “difficult” in their eyes? I always feel like there’s an invisible line, but no one tells you where it is...
