Market Rates Insight Introduces Mobile Rate Move Alert to Give Bankers Competitive Interest Rate Data Anytime, Anywhere

Mobile Rate Move Alert Introduced in Response to Demand from Bankers in Anticipation for Federal Reserve's Rate Increase This Month.

San Anselmo, CA, USA (December 10, 2015) -- Market Rates Insight, Inc., the leader in financial services pricing intelligence for deposits, personal loans, mortgages, and fees, has released Mobile Rate Move Alert, a new deposit interest rate tracking product designed to keep financial executives current with changes in competitive interest rates. Mobile Rate Move Alert delivers competitive rate change data immediately to give banking and credit union executives the latest rates for target institutions and regions delivered to their smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

The financial industry has been waiting for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to revitalize deposit rate products such as savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs. When rates do rise, experts predict that consumers will immediately begin shopping for better returns for their savings. This will leave banks and credit unions competing for new money, jockeying to offer the most competitive rates for interest earnings.

To prepare for pending interest rate increases, Market Rates Insight has developed a mobile alert tool that gives subscribers an email alert with the latest interest rate changes from preselected competitors. With Mobile Rate Move Alert, financial executives can keep watch on competing institutions and products, and adjust their own rates as needed to stay ahead of rates in their market area.

"With the ongoing economic recovery, it's been a long time since banks have had to compete on interest rates. Consumers have been waiting for rates to improve before investing their savings, and when the Fed does increase interest rates, there is a going to be a flood of rate shoppers looking for new financial products," said Rick Barham, founder and CEO of Market Rates Insight. "Our Mobile Rate Move Alert product is designed to help our bank and credit union customers stay ahead of the competition and track rate changes as they happen."

Mobile Rate Move Alert allows subscribers to select specify financial institutions and interest products. Products to be monitored can be selected by company, product type, region, terms, tiers, and other criteria. When a rate changes, subscribers receive a message sent directly to their mobile device with details about the competitor, the product, and the rate change.

Mobile Rate Move Alert is just the latest self-service research tool included in Market Rates Insight's MyRI suite. MyRI gives users a variety of web-driven research tools that track the latest in deposits, rates, and fees. MyRI provides access to bank rate and fee data nationwide, allowing financial executives to assess competitive rates, understand pricing trends, and conduct market research to help them make more informed product and marketing decisions.

For more information, visit http://www.marketratesinsight.com.

About Market Rates Insight
For over 30 years, Market Rates Insight has helped banking executives make better informed pricing decisions. The company serves banks and credit unions nationally with competitive information on deposits, consumer loans, mortgages, and fees. Market Rates Insight provides the most granular historical and refresh pricing data in the industry, helping financial decision makers plan and prepare for likely changes in rates and products. The company's cloud-based system provides timely and precise competitive data supported by usable graphs and charts.

Market Rates Insight is located in San Anselmo, California. For more information, see http://www.marketratesinsight.com.

Photos available upon request

Contact:
Tom Woolf
Market Rates Insight
(415) 259-5638

San Francisco Federal Credit Union Introduces 100% Home Financing with POPPYLOAN™

New Mortgage Now Available for San Franciscans Who Can't Make a Down Payment in Skyrocketing Bay Area Housing Market.

San Francisco, CA, USA (December 10, 2015) -- San Francisco Federal Credit Union today announced the availability of a new home purchase loan option for San Franciscans struggling with Bay Area housing prices. The POPPYLOAN™ mortgage offers up to 100 percent home financing with the possibility of zero down payment required for credit union members seeking to buy a new home.

POPPYLOAN was created in response to skyrocketing home prices throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Many San Franciscans are paying more than the average mortgage payment in rent every month, but they cannot buy a home because they cannot save enough for the 20 percent down payment required for a conventional mortgage. To help fellow San Franciscans make their dream home a reality, San Francisco Federal Credit Union created the Proud Ownership Purchase Program for You - POPPYLOAN.

POPPYLOAN is available to anyone who works in San Francisco or San Mateo Counties and can be used to purchase a home anywhere in the nine Bay Area Counties: San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, or Solano. Qualified borrowers can finance up to 100 percent of the purchase price of a home, up to $2 million. There is no added requirement for private mortgage insurance (PMI).

"We see POPPYLOAN as a game-changer for the San Francisco real estate market," said Rebecca Reynolds Lytle, Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer for San Francisco Federal Credit Union. "Too many of our members have given up hope of buying a home because of escalating home prices and the required down payment. However, these same families are paying more than a mortgage payment for monthly rent. Paying $3,600 for a one-bedroom apartment is about the same as making a monthly payment on an $800,000 mortgage. We created POPPYLOAN to help middle class families realize their dream of buying a home without having to move out of the Bay Area."

To qualify for POPPYLOAN, borrowers must be 18 years or older and purchasing a single family home, townhouse, condominium, or 2-to-4 unit multi-family dwelling as their primary residence. POPPYLOAN is structured as a 5/5 adjustable rate, 30-year mortgage. Interest rates and monthly payments are fixed for the first five years and every five years thereafter, with no more than a 2 percent increase every five years and no more than a 6 percent increase over the life of the loan. POPPYLOAN is not available for refinancing an existing mortgage.

"The rising cost of real estate is creating a housing crisis in San Francisco, and while POPPYLOAN isn't a solution for everybody, we want to do what we can for our friends and neighbors," said Steven Stapp, President and CEO of San Francisco Federal Credit Union. "We studied the problem and realized that there was no reason our credit union couldn't offer up to 100 percent financing without requiring PMI. Other credit unions have had success with similar programs and we built POPPYLOAN as the best possible solution we could offer to our members."

For more information, visit San Francisco Federal Credit Union at http://www.sanfranciscofcu.com.

About San Francisco Federal Credit Union
San Francisco Federal Credit Union has been serving San Francisco since 1954. Today, anyone who lives, works, or attends school in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties may apply for membership. We currently serve more than 37,000 members. San Francisco Federal Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration and is an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS# 416906.

Contact:
Elaine Lee
Marketing Supervisor
San Francisco Federal Credit Union
P: 415-615-7099 F: 415-447-2259

"Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch" Photography Book Captures Hardworking Legends

As discussions continue for the sale of the legendary 510,572-acre Waggoner Ranch, the future is still undetermined for what may or may not change for 26 cowboys at the largest ranch in the U.S. under one contiguous fence.

Fort Worth, TX, USA (December 10, 2015) -- Young Texas photographer Jeremy Enlow captures a behind-the-scenes glimpse of these legends through his inaugural photography book, Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch. In its second printing - first 1,500 books sold out in 10 days! - the limited-edition hardcover will be for sale at a book signing and presentation by Enlow.

Sunday, December 20
2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Reata Restaurant - 310 Houston Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Justin Lounge

HI-RES IMAGES WITH CAPTIONS AVAILABLE VIA DROPBOX

"I've lived on and been a part of the Waggoner Ranch since I was six months old - almost 69 years. I grew up with the cowboys, ate at the wagon and the big round table at headquarters. I've known the cowboys who stayed 50 years and the ones just passing through," said Helen Biggs Willingham, joint owner of the Waggoner Ranch.

"They rise before dawn, ride tall in the saddle all day whether the day is sunny or a cold and biting wind swirls around them as they saddle their chosen mounts. They no longer battle Indians and outlaws of old, but they face the elements of nature every day; dust, drought, rattlesnakes, gopher holes, ornery cattle and the ever-present mesquite." Willingham continued. "Some people think of the cowboy as a half-mythological folk hero, just a symbol of the American West. The Waggoner Cowboys are real people. They are essential to the daily operation and success of this outfit. They are proud to ride for the 3D brand. Our cowboys have been a vital cog in the wheel of Waggoner success for many years. The pride they have in this organization is evidenced by the hard work they put in day after day, preserving a very special way of life." (MEDIA NOTE - No further comments or interviews are available from the owners of the ranch.)

Fort Worth-based Jeremy Enlow was given exclusive access to the Cow Camp operation behind the prestigious reversed triple D brand of the Waggoner Ranch. "Most everyone I know with a 'real' job couldn't last five minutes cowboying on the Waggoner," said Enlow. "They physically abuse their bodies with a finesse that's mastered with years of experience. There is no break until the job is done. Whether it rains, sleets or snows, the cowboys are always working."

Enlow self-published the hardcover book (140 pages - 12" tall x 10.5" wide - 100# glossy stock). Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch retails for $58 - a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Waggoner Ranch Cowboys Fund. A select number of signed and numbered fine art prints are also available, starting at $1,500.

Facebook - Cowboys of Waggoner Ranch
Twitter - @WaggonerCowboys

Media Contact:
Julie Hatch Fairley
Creative Communications
817-919-7648