I’ve actually had the opposite experience a few times—some lenders in Texas have been surprisingly upfront about their fees, almost to the point of over-explaining. But I get what you mean, because others bury the details in fine print or toss in “miscellaneous” charges at closing. I always tell clients to ask for a full fee breakdown early on, but even then, you sometimes catch new charges popping up later. It’s not always about transparency; sometimes it’s just disorganization or poor communication on their end.
I hear you on the “miscellaneous” charges—had that happen during my last refi. The lender sent me a fee sheet that looked pretty straightforward, but then a “processing fee” showed up at closing that no one had mentioned before. When I pushed back, they said it was a standard charge, but it felt like they just forgot to mention it earlier. I don’t mind paying for real services, but I really want everything on the table up front. Guess it’s a mix of transparency and just how organized the team is.
That “processing fee” thing drives me nuts too. I’ve seen lenders tack on random charges at the last minute, and it always puts my clients on edge. The best ones are upfront from day one—even if the estimate isn’t perfect, at least you know what’s coming. Sometimes I’ll even ask for a fee breakdown in writing just to keep everyone honest. Transparency really does separate the good lenders from the rest, at least in my experience.
