Lending

Make sure problems in the commercial real estate market don’t stress your CU’s portfolio. The U.S. commercial real estate market has been in a three-year freefall. Experts say the market will finally hit bottom this year. And when it does, market values will be 40% to 50% below... READ MORE

The Great Recession might be technically over, but lending is still tepid at CUs. Chastened by the economic downturn, once spend- and borrow-happy consumers have closed their wallets and upped their savings rates—a trend that’s likely to continue, according to 
Credit Union National Association economists. “That’s one among... READ MORE

DealerTrack Inc. , a leading provider of on-demand software and data solutions for the U.S. automotive retail industry, announced that the number of active financing sources connected to the DealerTrack network  has reached 800. "We are pleased to reach this milestone of 800 connected financing sources—significantly more than anyone else in... READ MORE

By Valerie Moss Q What must a servicemember do to receive the 6% interest rate required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act  (SCRA)?   A In order to apply for the 6% interest rate, the SCRA requires the servicemember to provide the credit union with a written notice and a... READ MORE

As banks continue to tighten lending standards, many small business owners are turning to credit unions for business loans and other services. As a result, many credit unions have seen strong growth in their business-loan portfolios, according to “Strategies for Monitoring Credit Union Member Business Loans During a Recession,” a... READ MORE

By Valerie Moss Q How can a credit union comply with Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act regulations?   A For payment systems (other than card systems), credit unions that are covered by the regulations must have written policies and procedures in place that demonstrate they are performing risk-based due diligence... READ MORE

CUNA Senior Economist Steve Rick The unthinkable has become routine, Credit Union National Association Senior Economist Steve Rick maintains during a Credit Union Magazine Webinar . Such events have a major impact on the economy and credit unions, he says, namely: The events of Sept. 11; The financial meltdown on... READ MORE

Member Auto Sales  has logged record sales since June, selling more than 150 vehicles in June, July, and August—due largely to the benefits the company offers consumers in the pre-owned market. Member Auto Sales is a Houston-based, credit union-owned car sales outlet developed to help credit unions decrease loan losses... READ MORE

By Steve Gibbs Implementing and monitoring compliance programs can be a daunting task—a “500 pound gorilla,” if you will. Some of us have begun to recognize the “gorilla” and look it straight in the eye. However, as any trained animal handler will tell you, once you’ve looked a beast in... READ MORE

By Judy Dahl Rather than investing, $379 million asset SAC Federal Credit Union , Bellevue, Neb., relies solely on loans to maximize income. As a result, the credit union’s loan-to-share ratio is 114%, reports Steve Ames, SAC Federal’s senior vice president of finance. “We have borrowings from the Federal Home... READ MORE