Yeah, those fees can get pretty ridiculous. I’ve seen “processing” charges that were literally just someone clicking a button. It’s not always about trying to sneak things past buyers, but sometimes it really does feel like they’re padding the bill because most folks won’t dig into the details. I always tell friends to ask for a breakdown—sometimes just questioning a weird fee makes it disappear. Funny how that works...
I always tell friends to ask for a breakdown—sometimes just questioning a weird fee makes it disappear. Funny how that works...
That’s honestly wild, but I’ve seen it too. When we were closing, there was this “courier fee” for $75. I asked what it was for and the guy just shrugged and said, “Oh, that’s standard.” I pushed back a little and suddenly it got knocked off the bill. Makes you wonder how many people just pay without noticing.
It’s kind of exhausting having to double-check every line item, but I guess that’s just part of the process. I get that some fees are legit, but when you see stuff like “processing” or “document prep” for hundreds of bucks, it feels like they’re just hoping you won’t notice. Definitely validating to hear other people have called them out and had them removed too. Guess being a little bit annoying pays off sometimes...
Yeah, that “courier fee” nonsense is everywhere. I’ve bought and sold enough properties to know most of these random charges are just pure padding. The trick is to challenge every single one—even the ones that sound official. Half the time they’ll just quietly erase it if you make noise. It’s annoying, but honestly, if you don’t scrutinize those closing docs, you’re leaving money on the table. I wish more folks realized how negotiable a lot of this stuff actually is...
Funny you mention courier fees—I've seen “processing” and “document prep” charges that are just as questionable. But sometimes, certain fees are actually legit, depending on the lender or title company. Have you ever had one refuse to budge on a charge, even after you pushed back?
Hidden fees and surprises when buying a home
One time I tried to get a “doc prep” fee knocked off and the escrow officer just stared at me like I’d asked for their firstborn. Some of these fees feel like they’re just baked in, no matter how much you push. Ever wonder if they just make up new names for the same old charges?
