Yeah, lenders can be funny like that—mine acted like I was breaking up with them when I mentioned refinancing elsewhere. Did they at least waive any fees or lower closing costs for you?
Mine didn't exactly waive fees, but they suddenly found some "special discounts" when I hinted at shopping around. Funny how that works, right? Makes me wonder if they always had those deals tucked away somewhere. Did yours budge at all, or just give you the guilt trip treatment?
Mine didn't exactly roll out the red carpet either, but I've seen this happen a lot. Usually lenders have some wiggle room, but they're not gonna volunteer it unless they think you're serious about leaving. When I refinanced mine a couple years back, I did a quick comparison with two other lenders and casually mentioned it to my current one. Suddenly, they "remembered" a loyalty discount and knocked off some fees. Funny how loyalty only counts when you're halfway out the door, right?
If you're still shopping around, here's what I'd suggest: first, get a couple of solid quotes from competitors—doesn't take long and gives you leverage. Then, approach your lender with those numbers in hand. Be polite but firm, and don't fall for the guilt trip routine (heard that one before too...). Worst case scenario, you end up switching lenders and saving money anyway. Best case, your current lender matches or beats the offer, and you save without the hassle of moving. Either way, you win.
Haha, isn't it funny how lenders suddenly find those "special discounts" when you're about to jump ship? I've seen clients pull this move plenty of times, and it usually works. Did your lender try the whole "we've been through so much together" guilt trip too? Always cracks me up. But seriously, did you notice a big difference in rates when you shopped around, or was it mostly fees they budged on? Curious how much wiggle room people are actually seeing lately...
"But seriously, did you notice a big difference in rates when you shopped around, or was it mostly fees they budged on?"
From what I've seen lately, lenders seem more flexible on fees than rates. Rates are pretty competitive across the board right now, especially with VA loans, so there's not always a huge gap there. But fees—origination, appraisal, processing—those can vary quite a bit. I've had clients save hundreds just by pushing back a little. Curious if others have noticed the same trend lately...
