Totally agree, pushing back is key. When I refinanced, the online quotes looked better at first, but once you dig into the paperwork, those fees pop up everywhere. In-person, I felt like I could negotiate more—maybe just because it’s harder for them to brush you off face-to-face. Either way, you’ve gotta read every line and call them out on anything that doesn’t add up.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen online lenders actually beat in-person rates—sometimes by a lot. Here’s the thing:
- Online quotes can look “too good,” but some local brokers pad their fees just as much, just in different spots.
- In-person, yeah, you can push back, but not everyone’s comfortable haggling face-to-face. Some folks freeze up.
- Online, you’ve got everything in writing. Easier to compare apples to apples if you’re willing to dig through the fine print.
Honestly, both sides have their tricks. I’d say don’t trust either one until you’ve seen the full loan estimate and compared every line. That’s where the real story is.
Honestly, both sides have their tricks. I’d say don’t trust either one until you’ve seen the full loan estimate and compared every line. That’s where the real story is.
That’s spot on—those loan estimates are where you find the “hidden” stuff. I’ve seen folks get blindsided by origination fees or weird processing charges that weren’t obvious up front. Out of curiosity, has anyone actually had an online lender honor their initial quote all the way through closing? I’ve heard mixed things about bait-and-switch tactics, but maybe that’s less common now?
I’ve actually gone through the process with both an online lender and a local bank. The online lender’s initial quote looked great, but by the time I got the official loan estimate, there were a few “processing” fees that hadn’t been mentioned before. Nothing outrageous, but it did bump up the closing costs. In my case, the local bank was more upfront about everything from the start. Maybe things have improved with online lenders, but I’d still double-check every line—those little fees add up fast.
