Flurry of Fees

In recent years, homeowners have been inundated with unexpected “junk” fees at the close of escrow when refinancing or buying a home. Here are a few such fees that appear to be relatively common and what consumer experts believe they mean:

* Document preparation: Someone typed, copied and collated your loan application.

* Appraisal review: A bank employee read the appraisal report, which you also paid for separately, to be sure that your house is worth more than the loan amount.

* Credit report review: A bank employee read your credit report, which you also probably paid for separately, to determine that you’re not a deadbeat.

* Application fee: You paid for the privilege of applying for a loan.

* Overnight mail: Although some overnight mail charges are legitimate, consumers should be wary of fees that have no relation to the actual cost of an overnight package. The cost of sending a rush Federal Express letter from Los Angeles to New York amounts to $15. But some lenders mark up this service to $50 or $75.