We went through something similar when we built our place. Builder's lender was fine, nothing shady, but when we shopped around, we ended up saving enough to upgrade our kitchen appliances—totally worth the extra legwork. Honestly, builders probably just prefer lenders they trust to close without drama. Still, it's your money, so why not take a few days to see what's out there? Worked out pretty well for us...
Totally agree—it's always worth checking out other options. I've seen clients stick with the builder's lender just because it's convenient, but when they shop around, they're often surprised how much extra cash they free up. One couple I worked with saved enough to splurge on custom cabinetry instead of standard builder-grade stuff...and trust me, that made a world of difference. Convenience is nice, but a little legwork now can seriously upgrade your space later.
I've noticed the builder's lender often banks (pun intended...) on buyers choosing convenience over savings. When we built our place, shopping around took some time, sure, but the lower interest rate we snagged paid for upgraded flooring throughout. Definitely worth the hassle.
We went through something similar—initially tempted by the builder's lender because it seemed so straightforward, but after crunching the numbers, we realized we'd be paying a premium for that convenience. Ended up shopping around and got a significantly better rate. The savings let us splurge on some custom cabinetry I had my eye on (totally worth it, btw). Honestly, builders count on people being too tired or overwhelmed to compare rates, but taking that extra step can really pay off in the long run.
Yeah, builder lenders can be sneaky convenient, but you're right—it's usually not the best deal. I've seen clients save enough by shopping around to upgrade finishes or even add custom built-ins...definitely worth the extra legwork.
