I've wondered about negotiating closing costs too...seems like everything else in real estate is negotiable, so why not that? Bi-weekly payments sound promising, but did anyone find hidden fees or catches when switching over? I'm still figuring this stuff out.
Honestly, you're asking all the right questions. Closing costs are definitely negotiable—I once had a buyer successfully get the seller to cover half the fees just by asking nicely (and firmly). As for bi-weekly payments, they're usually legit, but watch out for third-party companies offering the service. I had a friend who got hit with sneaky processing fees that made it less worthwhile. Always best to double-check directly with your lender first to avoid surprises...
Totally agree on avoiding third-party bi-weekly payment services—my coworker got burned by one too. If you're feeling stuck paying mostly interest, one thing that helped me was making small extra payments directly toward the principal each month. Even $50 or $100 extra can chip away at your loan faster than you'd think. Just make sure your lender applies it correctly (some sneaky fine print there...). It feels slow at first, but seeing that principal finally budge is pretty satisfying.
"Just make sure your lender applies it correctly (some sneaky fine print there...)"
Haha, learned that one the hard way myself. I remember proudly sending in my first extra payment, only to realize months later they'd just applied it to future interest. Had to call and straighten it out—lesson learned!
Did you check if your lender even allows direct principal payments without a separate form or online setting? Mine wouldn't budge until I filled out their specific paperwork—felt like jumping through hoops just to pay extra...
