Choosing an out-of-area credit union
October 1, 2015 11:50 PM Subscribe
I'm dissatisfied with my local credit union and am interested in taking my business elsewhere. They are the only game in town, so I'm wondering how best to assess my options for online only or at least long distance friendly credit unions.
My immediate interest is in applying for a home equity loan, so I'm hoping to find an institution that:
- will offer competitive interest rates and fees
- will let me do all loan application stuff remotely, preferably via email or web interface
- will be reachable during weekend and/or evening hours (or maybe be located on the east coast where I can call at 6 my time and get them when they open at 9)
Is there a listing somewhere of credit unions that specifically welcome out-of-towners? Can you recommend a particular place that worked well in similar circumstances? I do not qualify for USAA and would be keeping my local commercial bank account for deposits, cash handling and other in-person stuff. I'm near Los Angeles, but not so near that visiting a branch in LA wouldn't mean taking an entire day off work.
My immediate interest is in applying for a home equity loan, so I'm hoping to find an institution that:
- will offer competitive interest rates and fees
- will let me do all loan application stuff remotely, preferably via email or web interface
- will be reachable during weekend and/or evening hours (or maybe be located on the east coast where I can call at 6 my time and get them when they open at 9)
Is there a listing somewhere of credit unions that specifically welcome out-of-towners? Can you recommend a particular place that worked well in similar circumstances? I do not qualify for USAA and would be keeping my local commercial bank account for deposits, cash handling and other in-person stuff. I'm near Los Angeles, but not so near that visiting a branch in LA wouldn't mean taking an entire day off work.
Best answer: I think the PenFed Credit Union has everything you need. Maybe check them out? I have USAA and love it, but if I didn't then I would definitely consider them. Their phone lines are open 7 days a week and you can do things like a home equity loan online. You do have to pay a one-time fee to join the military association in order to qualify, which I believe is 15 bucks or so, but that's it.
posted by signondiego at 6:37 AM on October 2, 2015
posted by signondiego at 6:37 AM on October 2, 2015
Best answer: I'm using Andrews Federal Credit Union in Maryland (not my state.)
Our field of membership includes Washington, DC, civilian and military personnel of Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands; as well as over 200 employer groups throughout Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey. We also have nationwide membership eligibility through the American Consumer Council.
To qualify, I paid $5 to join the American Consumer Council.
posted by blob at 9:04 AM on October 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
Our field of membership includes Washington, DC, civilian and military personnel of Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands; as well as over 200 employer groups throughout Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey. We also have nationwide membership eligibility through the American Consumer Council.
To qualify, I paid $5 to join the American Consumer Council.
posted by blob at 9:04 AM on October 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by JimN2TAW at 5:56 AM on October 2, 2015