Tried two different pre-approval lenders and one was way more honest with me

I was shopping around for a mortgage pre-approval last month for a duplex near Whyte Avenue. The first lender from a big bank quoted me a rate but didn't mention the extra $200 monthly condo fee until I asked. The second lender, a smaller credit union, gave me a full breakdown of costs including property tax and insurance upfront. That extra clarity saved me from buying a place I could barely afford. Has anyone else found a huge difference between lenders on transparency like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_green5815d ago

A smaller lender usually has way less red tape to fight through so they can just tell you what's what from the start. Big banks have these automated systems that'll spit out a number but miss all the hidden fees that actually matter for your monthly cash flow. It's wild how one extra question from a credit union can save you from a bad financial decision like that.

margaretf4015d ago

Ask them upfront about prepayment penalties and origination fees before you even fill out the application, it'll save you a headache later. I always request a written fee breakdown in the first email so there's no surprises when the paperwork comes through.