First step in buying a house - shop for mortgages

It was quite tedious when we first started shopping for mortgages. Thank God for the Internet I was able to check for mortgages rate online but even then I did not fully trust the rates posted online by the banks. I guess it is because I have this perception that the local companies just don't bother to update their websites with the latest information. Anyhow it was quite a tedious experience calling up the banks to find out more about their mortgage packages. The most terrible experience I had must be calling the Hong Leong Bank hotline. You know how they have the IVR system (press 1 for bla bla press 2 for bla bla)? Well, Hong Leong Bank's IVR is the crappiest!! You end up going in circles and finally you just slam down the phone because you get so bloody frustrated going round and round.

After finding out the rates on the phone comes the negotiating time. It is actually possible for you to negotiate the rates because the banking industry in Malaysia is so competitive. If they say it is not negotiable, they are either lying or have already met their quota for the month so they don't give a damn whether you use their services or not. They = mortgage sales executive.

Just found out few weeks back that the guy responsible for our account has left the company.

Anyways in the end, after careful comparison and all, we ended up getting a mortgage with Hong Leong Bank because it offered the best rate despite the shitty hotline they have. I also got the direct line number to whoever it was I needed to speak to so I don't have to torture myself with the stupid HLB IVR again.