There is much to be said for staying local in the lending business, amongst others. Here is a recent, real life example. We had under contract a property with which the buyer insisted on using an online lender, contrary to our advice. Firstly, making contact with a real person took more time than it should have. Then came the appraisal. The lender, resident in some unknown location, engaged an appraiser with apparently no experience in the market in question. It never appraised. Cut to scene two: lost time, amended contract, new lender but again an e-lender! Some people never learn. Upon investigating the reason for insisting on using an online lender it turns out that the fees charged were lower. However, the rate was higher and within a single year the low fees will be more than offset by interest—and still there will be 29 years to go. The takeaway is that still a professional with his/her feet in the field may be worth more than trusting to an online search and reviews by persons unknown.
