Has anyone actually managed to get a lender to fully waive those “junk” fees, or is it usually just a reduction? I’ve pushed back before and gotten some movement, but never a total removal. Also, when you shop around for title insurance, do you find the process straightforward, or is it a hassle with all the different quotes and fine print? I always wonder if the savings are worth the time spent digging through all that.
Thinking About Refinancing My VA Mortgage, Curious What Others Are Doing
Getting lenders to fully waive those so-called “junk” fees is honestly pretty rare in my experience. You can usually get them to budge a bit—maybe knock off an admin fee here or reduce an underwriting charge there—but a total removal? That’s tough, unless you’ve got some serious leverage or you’re working with a smaller, super customer-focused lender. Most of the time, they’ll just shift the numbers around if you push too hard, or they’ll say it’s “required by regulation,” which isn’t always true but is hard to argue with.
When it comes to title insurance, I totally get what you mean about the hassle. Shopping around sounds good in theory, but the reality is a maze of different quotes, weird line items, and fine print that makes your head spin. I’ve seen folks save a couple hundred bucks by digging deep and comparing, but it’s rarely more than that unless you’re in a high-cost area. The process isn’t exactly user-friendly—some companies don’t even want to give you a straight answer unless you’re already in escrow.
If you’re thinking about whether it’s worth the time: I usually tell people to weigh the savings against their own patience threshold. If you’re the kind of person who gets satisfaction from tracking down every last dollar, go for it. But if it’s going to stress you out or eat up hours that could be better spent elsewhere, sometimes it’s okay to accept a decent quote and move on.
One trick I’ve seen work is asking your lender if they’ll match a competitor’s lower title fee or waive something else if you stick with their preferred provider. They don’t always say yes, but sometimes just asking gets them to “find” some extra savings.
Long story short: getting fees reduced is possible, full waivers are rare, and shopping for title insurance is kind of a pain—but not impossible if you’ve got the patience. It’s all about picking your battles and deciding what your time’s worth.
“Shopping around sounds good in theory, but the reality is a maze of different quotes, weird line items, and fine print that makes your head spin.”
That’s the truth. I’ve watched clients get so bogged down in the weeds with title insurance shopping that they end up just picking the first one that gives them a straight answer. One guy I worked with actually saved about $400 by calling three places, but he said it wasn’t worth the headache. I do think it’s worth at least asking your lender to match a lower fee—sometimes they’ll surprise you. But yeah, full waivers? Pretty much unicorn territory.
I’ve run into that same maze with title insurance—every time I refinance, it feels like I’m deciphering a new language. I’ve always wondered if there’s a real advantage to sticking with the company from your original purchase, or if it’s just as well to start fresh and shop around. The last time I refinanced, I tried to compare quotes, but the differences in fees and what’s actually covered made it tough to do an apples-to-apples comparison.
Has anyone actually managed to get a lender to waive or significantly reduce the title insurance fee on a VA refi? I’ve heard stories, but never met anyone who pulled it off. I’m also curious if anyone’s had luck negotiating other closing costs—sometimes it feels like there’s more wiggle room there than with title insurance. Maybe I’m just too cautious, but I always worry I’m missing something in the fine print...
Title: Thinking about refinancing my VA mortgage, curious what others are doing
You’re not alone—title insurance is one of those things that always feels murky, even for folks who’ve done a few refis. I’ve never seen a lender actually waive the title insurance fee on a VA refi, but I have seen small discounts if you stick with the same company. Honestly, shopping around can help, but the differences are usually minor. Closing costs in general? There’s sometimes more room to negotiate with things like origination or processing fees than title insurance itself. Don’t feel bad about being cautious—those fine print details can trip up anyone.
