Honestly, I think people underestimate how much those “little” fees add up. I refinanced last year and nearly missed a $900 “document prep” charge—like, what are they prepping, gold leaf paperwork? If you’re not staying put for a while, it’s rarely worth it.
Yeah, those “miscellaneous” fees can sneak up fast. I always tell folks to look at the full loan estimate line by line—sometimes you can negotiate or even waive a few. If you’re planning to move soon, the math rarely works out in your favor.
Those “miscellaneous” fees are like the socks that disappear in the dryer—suddenly you’re missing a chunk of change and you’re not even sure where it went. I once had a client who almost paid $400 for a “courier fee”... for documents sent by email. If you’re not sticking around long, those upfront costs can eat up any savings from a lower rate. Sometimes it feels like you need a magnifying glass and a detective badge just to get through the paperwork.
I get what you’re saying about the fees—they can really add up if you’re not careful. But I’ve found that if you actually go line by line through the closing disclosure and ask questions, a lot of those “miscellaneous” charges can be negotiated or even waived. Lenders aren’t always set in stone on these, even if it feels like they are. I refinanced last year and pushed back on a $300 “processing” fee—turns out they dropped it when I asked. It’s tedious, but sometimes just being persistent pays off.
I’ve seen that too—sometimes those “junk” fees are just placeholders until someone questions them. I always tell folks to ask about every single line, even if it feels nitpicky. Did you notice any fees that were totally non-negotiable? Some lenders get weirdly stubborn about the underwriting charge, in my experience.
