- Totally agree on the “processing” fees—sometimes it feels like they’re just making up numbers as they go. I’ve seen “admin review” charges for $200, but when you ask what admin actually did, it’s crickets.
- The closing disclosure is absolutely a menu, but with surprise ingredients. I always tell folks: highlight anything that sounds weird or vague. If you don’t understand it, there’s a good chance it’s negotiable or unnecessary.
- Local lenders do tend to be more willing to talk through fees and sometimes even waive them if you push back a bit. National lenders have their own playbook, but if you call them out, they’ll sometimes match or beat local offers—just gotta be persistent.
- That low rate trap is real. Had a client last year who was thrilled about a 5.25% refi, but by the time we added up points, origination, and “miscellaneous” fees, the break-even was almost 10 years. He ended up walking away. Sometimes the best deal on paper just doesn’t work in real life.
- Courier fees are my favorite joke—$75 for “overnight delivery” when everyone’s DocuSigning from their couch? I’d love to see the breakdown of that cost... maybe there’s a secret confetti budget we don’t know about.
- One thing I always recommend: ask for a Loan Estimate from at least two different lenders (local and national). Put them side by side and compare every line. If something looks off, circle it and ask directly. You’d be surprised how quickly some of those fees disappear when they know you’re watching.
At the end of the day, it’s all about reading the fine print and not being afraid to question every single charge. If something doesn’t make sense, it probably doesn’t need to be there. And if you ever see a “snack fee,” let me know—I’ll bring popcorn next time.
Had a client once who almost paid $1,000 in “processing” and “courier” fees—she only caught it because we sat down together and combed through every line. Turns out, half of it was negotiable or could be waived. It’s wild how often those extra charges just vanish when you question them. I always tell people, don’t be shy about pushing back, especially with local lenders. They’re usually more flexible than folks expect.
It’s wild how often those extra charges just vanish when you question them.
Totally agree—when I refinanced last year, I made a spreadsheet of every single fee. Some of them sounded like they were just making stuff up (“document prep fee” for $200? Come on). Ended up getting about $600 knocked off after a few emails back and forth. It’s awkward at first, but honestly, it’s your money. Local lenders definitely seemed more open to negotiating than the big banks, at least in my experience. Just gotta be willing to ask.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had the opposite experience a couple times.
For me, the big banks were more rigid on rates but sometimes dropped “junk” fees just to keep me from walking. Local folks were friendly, but they held their ground on costs—maybe it’s a Dallas thing? Either way, you’re right about spreadsheets... those things save you from getting nickel-and-dimed.Local lenders definitely seemed more open to negotiating than the big banks, at least in my experience.
I’m actually kind of surprised to hear local lenders were more flexible for you. When I started looking into refinancing, I figured the smaller places would be easier to work with, but it didn’t really play out that way. Maybe it’s just the timing or the specific people I talked to, but the local guys in Dallas seemed almost proud of their rates and fees—like, “this is what we offer, take it or leave it.” Meanwhile, the big banks were all about the “special offers” and random fee waivers if I hesitated for even a second.
Did you ever get the sense that the local lenders just didn’t have as much wiggle room? I mean, I get that they’re not working with the same volume as the big banks, but I expected at least a little more back-and-forth. Instead, it felt like they were banking on their reputation for service, not price.
Also, about those spreadsheets—totally agree. I had to make one just to keep track of all the “one-time” fees and “processing” charges. It’s wild how fast those add up. Did you find any hidden costs that almost slipped by? For me, it was the appraisal fee—one lender tried to sneak in a $600 charge when everyone else was quoting $400. If I hadn’t been tracking everything, I probably would’ve missed it.
Maybe it’s just a Dallas thing, or maybe I just caught everyone on a bad week. Either way, it’s interesting how different these experiences can be depending on who you talk to and when.
