Imposters Vs. Legitimate Lenders

[Paul Bird]

I am a rookie looking to close my first deal.  I am so stoked to have found something that I feel I can handle.  I am confident that the team I have in place is the best for this deal.  The lender I have lined up with is a large national lender.  They are great but they have some procedures that that require additional costs that maybe others don't charge.  I have reached out to other smaller lenders and have been solicited by some that seem to be scams and it is really hard to tell who is trying to take advantage of my novice position.  What are some of your best practices that have helped you find the right fit for money lending?  What are your strategies for finding smaller, more nimble lenders?  Should I just stick with the safety of the large lender?  Thanks in advance for your thoughtful responses.