Who has the best rates and how to shop for them?

[Waruna Yapa]

My goal is to find competitive rates and fees. I've noticed that going to brokers usually leads to the same wholesalers so it's not as useful. The only other good lenders I've seen are credit unions and regional/local banks. However, they all require separate applications to even get an estimate. Is there a better way to shop around than this? What do you normally look for in choosing a lender?