Totally agree—it's surprising how much flexibility lenders suddenly have when you casually mention shopping around. When I got my first mortgage, I noticed the same thing. At first, they acted like the fees were set in stone, but once I brought up a better offer from another lender, suddenly things got a lot more negotiable. Definitely pays to do your homework and speak up... saved me a decent chunk of change in the end.
Yeah, it's funny how quickly those "non-negotiable" fees suddenly become flexible when competition pops up. But honestly, sometimes I wonder if they're just playing a game to see who blinks first. When we refinanced a couple years back, I got the same runaround—everything was supposedly fixed until I casually mentioned another bank's offer. Suddenly, doors opened and fees vanished. It's a bit shady, but hey...that's business, right? Definitely worth pushing back a little; worst they can say is no.
Had a similar experience when we refinanced last year. Initially, they insisted the closing costs were set in stone, but after I mentioned a competing offer, suddenly they found some "wiggle room." Makes me wonder how many people just accept the first quote without questioning it. Definitely pays to shop around and politely push back—saved us a decent chunk of money in the end.
I get your point, but honestly, sometimes pushing back too hard can backfire. Had a lender once who wouldn't budge at all and ended up losing a pretty sweet rate trying to haggle. Negotiating's good, but gotta know when to take the win and move on...
Yeah, but lenders count on folks being cautious. Had a similar sitch once—pushed back pretty firmly, and they eventually folded. It's a gamble, sure, but being too quick to settle can also cost you in the long run...
