I once got charged a “courier fee” for documents that were literally emailed to me. I mean, unless someone’s running across town with a flash drive, what are we paying for? Has anyone actually managed to negotiate any of these weird fees down, or do they just laugh you off?
Yeah, those “courier fees” are wild. I’ve seen them pop up on closing docs and half the time, it’s just for someone to hit send on an email. I’ve actually pushed back before—sometimes they’ll knock off $25 or so, but other times they just say it’s “standard.” It’s worth asking, though. Lenders and title companies throw in all sorts of junk fees hoping nobody notices. If you spot something that doesn’t make sense, call it out. Worst case, they say no... but sometimes you get a little shaved off your closing costs.
Lenders and title companies throw in all sorts of junk fees hoping nobody notices. If you spot something that doesn’t make sense, call it out.
That’s spot on. I’ve had a “document prep fee” show up for $150, and when I questioned it, they dropped it to $50 without blinking. It’s surprising how often these charges are negotiable if you just ask. Always pays to double-check those line items.
Funny you mention that—last year I saw a “courier fee” for $90 on a closing statement. When I asked what was being couriered, they suddenly said it was “optional.” Makes you wonder how many folks just pay without a second thought. Ever notice how vague some of those line items are?