Honestly, I get wanting to avoid extra fees, but sometimes paying for a fast close can save you in the long run—especially if rates are climbing or there’s a deal you don’t want to lose. I’ve done both slow and fast closes, and yeah, the fees sting, but dragging things out can cost more if the market shifts. It really depends on your situation. Those hard pulls are annoying, though... lenders can be sloppy with that stuff.
I totally get the logic behind paying for a quick close, especially if you’re worried about rates jumping. But do you ever wonder if lenders use the “rush” as an excuse to tack on extra fees? I’ve had one try to sneak in a “priority processing” charge that felt pretty bogus. And yeah, those hard pulls… why do they always seem to hit your credit at the worst possible time? Does anyone actually see a big score drop from a couple inquiries, or is that just lender scare tactics?
Honestly, I think the “rush” fees are just a money grab most of the time. I pushed back on one and they dropped it, no questions asked. As for credit pulls, I stressed about that too, but my score barely budged—like 3 points. Feels like lenders hype it up to keep you from shopping around.
“Feels like lenders hype it up to keep you from shopping around.”
- Totally agree on the “rush” fees. I had one lender tack on a $400 “expedite” charge out of nowhere. When I questioned it, they dropped it immediately. Makes you wonder how many people just pay it without asking.
- On the credit pulls—same here. I was worried about my score tanking, but after a couple hard inquiries, it barely moved. Maybe 2-4 points tops. If you’re rate shopping within a short window (like 2 weeks), most credit models treat it as one inquiry anyway.
- One thing I’d add: some lenders will try to guilt you about loyalty or “relationship discounts.” In my experience, those rarely beat the best rates you’ll find by shopping around.
- Don’t be afraid to negotiate every line item on that estimate. I got my appraisal fee knocked down just by asking if there was any flexibility.
Honestly, the process is a hassle, but if you stick to your guns, you can save a decent chunk—especially on those random fees that seem to pop up last minute.
That “expedite” fee thing is wild.
Same thing happened to me with a “processing” fee—just asked if it was required and poof, gone. Makes you wonder how much of this stuff is just there to see who notices. I’ve always been curious, has anyone actually gotten a “relationship discount” that was worth more than what you could get by shopping around? I’ve never seen it pan out, but maybe I’m missing something.“When I questioned it, they dropped it immediately.”
