Yeah, those “technology fees” always crack me up. Like, what exactly am I paying for—a gold-plated PDF? I’ve had better luck with smaller lenders too. At least when they charge you, they’ll tell you it’s for coffee in the break room or something. The big guys just shrug and move on. Sometimes I wonder if they even know what half those fees are for...
Like, what exactly am I paying for—a gold-plated PDF?
That’s exactly how I felt during my last refi. The “processing” fee was almost $400, and when I asked for a breakdown, the answer was basically “it’s standard.” Smaller lenders at least try to justify it. With the big banks, it’s like they’re daring you to question them. I actually made a spreadsheet comparing all the random fees—local guys were way more transparent, and the numbers just made more sense.
Gold-plated PDF—yep, that about sums it up. I swear, half the time I wonder if they just spin a wheel to decide what to call the next fee. “Processing,” “underwriting,” “document prep”—it’s like a bingo card of nonsense. I once asked a big bank if I could get my $350 “courier fee” back since everything was emailed. The guy just laughed and said, “That’s just how it is.” Super helpful, right?
I totally get why you’d go local. At least when you ask questions, you don’t feel like you’re interrupting some secret society meeting. And spreadsheets? You’re speaking my language. I had one with color coding and everything... maybe a little overboard, but hey, those numbers add up fast.
It’s wild how much more sense things make when someone actually explains them. Makes me wonder if the big guys are just hoping we’ll get bored and stop asking. Anyway, good on you for digging into it—every dollar counts, especially these days.
