Pecan on chicken is the way to go, I've been saying that for years.

Man that hits close to home. Eight years is a long time to be doing something wrong without even knowing it. The way you describe it makes me think about all the little habits we pick up without anyone telling us better. It's kind of wild how one experienced guy just dropping a single sentence can change everything about how you see your work. Props to you for actually listening to that old timer instead of brushing him off. Real skill is being able to take that kind of advice and run with it.

Did your guy also try to sell you on how "smooth" the process would be if you just went with their person? I had almost the exact same thing happen two years ago. The lender my agent pushed gave me a 6.9% rate with a bunch of hidden junk fees like a $500 "underwriting fee" that magically appeared in the final disclosures. I switched to a local credit union three days before closing and got 5.2% with zero origination. My agent was mad but I saved like $15,000 over the life of the loan. It's crazy how often they push these lenders who are basically paying them a referral fee. Feels like everyone just assumes the agent's pick is the best deal.

I read somewhere that Picasso had like 50+ pieces in his portfolio before anyone took him seriously.

@anthonyrivera your diary is mostly cussing trying to get that nail straight.