Totally agree it's not always black and white. When I bought my first place, my lender was moving slower than my grandma at a buffet line... seriously, it was painful. I debated switching but chickened out because everyone warned me about delays. Looking back, I probably should've jumped ship—rates dropped right after closing, and I missed out on some decent savings. Lesson learned: sometimes the hassle is worth it if the numbers line up.
"Looking back, I probably should've jumped ship—rates dropped right after closing, and I missed out on some decent savings."
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm worried about right now. I'm in the middle of my first home purchase, and my lender's dragging their feet too. I've thought about switching, but honestly, the idea of delays or complications freaks me out a bit. Hearing your experience makes me wonder if playing it safe might actually cost me more in the long run... guess I'll have to crunch the numbers again and see if it's worth the hassle.
I totally get why you're hesitant—switching lenders mid-process can feel like a huge gamble, especially when you're already stressed about closing. Have you checked if your current lender might match or at least come close to the lower rates you've seen elsewhere? Sometimes just mentioning you're considering other options can nudge them into speeding things up or offering better terms.
Also, how far along are you in the process? If you're still early enough, switching might not be as complicated as you think. A friend of mine switched lenders halfway through because of similar frustrations, and it actually went smoother than expected. But yeah, crunching the numbers again is definitely smart—sometimes peace of mind is worth paying a little extra for. Either way, hang in there... buying your first home is always nerve-wracking, but it'll feel amazing once it's all done.
"Sometimes just mentioning you're considering other options can nudge them into speeding things up or offering better terms."
This is spot-on advice. When we were refinancing a few years back, our lender dragged their feet until I casually mentioned another bank had a better rate. Suddenly, paperwork started flying! 😂 Seriously though, switching mid-process can feel dicey—just make sure you factor in any new fees or delays. Trust me, a slightly lower rate isn't always worth the headache it causes... been there, done that.
HARP officially ended a while back, didn't it? Pretty sure the cutoff was around 2018 or so... Have you checked into other refi programs though? There might be newer options available now that could still help you out. Just be careful—like mentioned above, sometimes chasing a slightly better rate can lead to unexpected fees or delays. Always worth double-checking the fine print before jumping ship mid-process.
