Mortgage Refi

[LakeTravis]

I understand everybody has to make their money, but I'm looking over the HUD-1 Settlement Charges and noticed lines 1110,1111, and 1112 weren't completely filled out but contained charges:

1110. Tax Certificate to (left blank): $34.33
1111. TX e-Recording Fee to (left blank): $3.00​

1112. TX Messenger/Overnight Delivery to (left blank): $25.50

Thinking those are profit add-ons for the title company, I asked them who received those items.

Their reply was "Those fees are to XXX Title Company" (them).

I replied that I understood THEY were the ones charging me, what I was asking was who received the services? i.e. Messenger/Overnight Delivery

I don't want to come across as difficult but at the same time I can't help but think those are simply rubberstamped charges they collect regardless whether the services were actually performed or not.

Is it unreasonable for me to question them?

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Is it unreasonable for me to question them?

I suppose it depends on your perspective. From the perspective of your being thorough in your business dealings and seeing annoying and suspected needless fees, no it's not unreasonable. From the perspective of you are taking a new loan with better terms, saving lots of money and having professionals handle a lot of the legal hassle and protection for you, $62.83 seems an odd motivation to decide it's time to make a stand.

 

[LakeTravis]

I suppose it depends on your perspective. From the perspective of your being thorough in your business dealings and seeing annoying and suspected needless fees, no it's not unreasonable. From the perspective of you are taking a new loan with better terms, saving lots of money and having professionals handle a lot of the legal hassle and protection for you, $62.83 seems an odd motivation to decide it's time to make a stand.

Good point. Throughout this entire process, I felt like the next question they were going to ask me was what color underwear I was wearing. I couldn't believe the level of detail they were drilling down to on a simple refi.

I suppose I saw this as my opportunity to be just as detail oriented.