Processing fees are the real-life equivalent of “dealer prep” on a car—just vague enough to make you wonder if you’re paying for someone’s coffee run. I’ve had closings where I swear the list of fees was longer than the mortgage docs themselves.
- You nailed it: half these charges are just there to see if you’ll blink. I once asked about a $250 “courier fee” and watched them backpedal so fast, I thought they’d trip over their own paperwork.
- It’s wild how much is negotiable. People think everything’s set in stone, but honestly, if you question it, suddenly there’s “room to work with you.” Funny how that works.
- The only thing more mysterious than some of these fees is why title companies still fax things in 2024... but that’s another rant.
Keep pushing back. If nothing else, it makes for great stories—and sometimes saves you enough for a decent dinner after closing.
Honestly, I was shocked by how many random fees popped up on my closing disclosure. I actually questioned a “processing fee” and, after a bit of awkward silence, they just reduced it by half. It’s weird—if you don’t ask, you’re just stuck paying whatever they throw at you. I wish someone had told me earlier that almost everything is negotiable. Still can’t get over the fact that they charged me for “document storage” when everything was digital...
Yeah, that “document storage” fee is wild—mine was literally for a Dropbox folder. I pushed back on a couple of the line items and the lender just shrugged and said, “We can take that off.” Makes you wonder how much is just made up. Honestly, it pays to be a little pushy.
Honestly, I get the frustration, but I don’t think every fee is just made up out of thin air. Some of these lenders are padding, sure, but there’s also a ton of compliance and paperwork that goes on behind the scenes. That said, I’ve seen “courier fees” for emails and “processing” charges that are just nonsense. I always ask for a breakdown and push back, but I try not to assume it’s all a scam—sometimes it’s just lazy accounting or outdated processes. Still, you’re right, if you don’t question it, you’ll pay for it.
Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen “document prep” fees that seem to be just a fancy way of saying “we hit print.” You’re spot on—some of these costs are legit, especially with the amount of legal hoops everyone jumps through now. But yeah, the line between necessary and nonsense gets blurry fast. I once had a client charged $95 for a “wire fee” that turned out to be an automated transfer... no human touched it.
Thing is, if you don’t ask questions, you end up paying for someone’s lunch. I always tell people: get a full breakdown and don’t be shy about pushing back. Half the time, just asking gets something knocked off or at least explained properly. But you’re right, not every line item is a scam—sometimes it’s just old habits nobody bothered to update. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy skepticism when you see a $50 “courier fee” and the only thing that got delivered was an email.
