Couldn’t agree more about not sweating every single fee. When I bought my place last year, I got so caught up in the tiny charges that I almost missed a lender sneaking in a higher origination fee. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Focusing on the interest rate and those bigger fees really does make the most difference in the long run. The rest just ends up being noise, especially when you’re racing to close in Texas right now.
It’s easy to get lost in the weeds.
Seriously, I thought I needed a PhD to read my closing docs. Did anyone else panic over the $25 “courier fee” but miss the four-digit origination charge? Why do they bury the big stuff in a sea of tiny numbers?
Yeah, those closing docs are a mess. I’ve seen people obsess over a $15 notary fee and totally miss the $3,000 origination charge hiding in plain sight. They really do love to bury the big numbers in a mountain of tiny line items. My advice? Focus on the “Loan Estimate” and “Closing Disclosure”—that’s where the real meat is. The rest is just noise designed to make you glaze over.
They really do love to bury the big numbers in a mountain of tiny line items.
That’s a spot-on observation. It’s surprisingly common for folks to get hung up on the smaller fees—like the $15 notary you mentioned—while the more substantial costs sneak by almost unnoticed. I’ve seen clients so focused on negotiating pest inspection fees that they miss thousands in lender charges. The Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure are absolutely key, but it’s worth noting that those documents can still be dense. Sometimes even those “summary” pages feel like they’re written to confuse.
One thing I’d add: don’t be shy about asking your lender to walk you through anything that doesn’t make sense. It’s their job, and a reputable lender won’t balk at explaining every line item. If something seems off, or you see duplicate charges, flag it early—mistakes happen more than people realize.
In Texas especially, there are some unique title fees and taxes that can really inflate closing costs. Double-check those sections, too. Taking your time here can save you a lot of regret down the road.
When I refinanced last year, I thought I had everything figured out, but those “miscellaneous” fees added up fast. I almost missed a $600 “processing” charge buried in the middle—didn’t even notice it until I went line by line. It’s wild how easy it is to overlook the bigger stuff when you’re distracted by the little ones. Texas really does have some oddball title fees too... I had to ask three times before I got a straight answer on what they actually covered.
