I've dealt with both big national lenders and smaller local banks, and honestly, neither seemed particularly efficient. The smaller lender was friendlier and easier to reach, but still slow... maybe it's just the nature of mortgage processing itself?
"maybe it's just the nature of mortgage processing itself?"
Honestly, I think you've nailed it right there. I've been through this process twice now—once with a big national lender and once with a smaller local credit union—and both times felt like watching paint dry. 😂
A few things I've noticed along the way:
- **Paperwork overload**: No matter who you go with, there's always another form to sign or document to submit. Just when you think you're done, surprise...they need your third-grade report card and your dog's vaccination records.
- **Communication helps (a bit)**: Like you mentioned, smaller lenders tend to be friendlier and easier to reach. My local credit union rep was super nice and responsive, but even then, she couldn't speed up the underwriting department. At least she kept me updated regularly, which made the waiting slightly less frustrating.
- **Timing matters**: I found that certain times of year seem busier than others. When rates drop or during peak home-buying seasons (spring/summer), lenders get swamped. If you're applying during these busy periods, brace yourself for extra delays.
- **Proactive follow-ups**: Being politely persistent can help move things along slightly faster. I made it a habit to check in every few days—not aggressively, just a friendly "Hey, anything else you need from me?" It seemed to keep my file from slipping through the cracks.
But yeah...at the end of the day, mortgages just seem inherently slow-moving. It's like they're designed to test our patience or something. Hang in there—eventually you'll get through it and have some funny stories to tell later!
I hear you on the paperwork overload...when we refinanced last year, I swear they asked for the same bank statements three different times. I finally started labeling files "FINAL_final_reallyfinal.pdf" just to keep my sanity. Checking in regularly did help a bit, but honestly, it felt like the whole process moved at its own mysterious pace no matter what I did. Guess it's just one of those things you gotta grit your teeth and get through.
Totally relate to this. Currently going through my first home purchase and it's been a real eye-opener:
- Sent the same pay stubs twice already, waiting for them to ask again...
- Every time I think we're done, there's another "quick form" to sign.
- Checking in helps a little, but honestly feels like I'm just along for the ride at this point.
Guess it's just part of the process, but man, didn't expect it to be this tedious.
"Every time I think we're done, there's another 'quick form' to sign."
Haha, yep, sounds about right. Went through this myself a few months ago and honestly felt like I was stuck in paperwork purgatory. One thing that helped me was creating a shared folder online (Google Drive or Dropbox works fine) with clearly labeled subfolders—pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, etc. Every time they asked for something again, I'd just resend the link and politely remind them it's already there.
Also found it useful to ask upfront if there were any other documents they'd likely need later on. Didn't completely stop the random requests, but it did cut down on some of the back-and-forth.
Curious though—has anyone tried escalating things when the delays got ridiculous? Like talking directly to a supervisor or loan officer higher up? Wondering if that's effective or just makes things awkward...
