Thinking about upgrading your current car? Or wondering if you’ll be able to afford the home-improvement project on your to-do list? It’s that time of year where you may be in the market for an upgrade. We want to help you to enhance your lifestyle and reach your financial goals!
Here at Mutual Security Credit Union, we provide a variety of products and services to meet your specific financial needs including a full line of loan solutions. Our dedicated team is here to help you navigate the financing process and find the loan that’s right for you.
Meet Ralph Mesite, Manager, Consumer Lending.
Q: How long have you been a part of the MSCU Family?
A: I have been with MSCU going on 7 years.
Q: What is your most rewarding story of helping a member?
A: A few years back I was able to help a member consolidate his loans and refinance his mortgage which resulted in him being able to save for his retirement. Any time you can positively impact a member’s financial outlook is really rewarding.
Q: What does a typical day look like in your role?
A: I will typically start the day by reviewing reports and answering emails. Then turn my attention to reviewing loans and working on various process improvements for MSCU. One of the best things about my job is each day’s tasks are going to be different the prior day.
Q: What is one of the most important things you have learned at MSCU?
A: I’ve learned that no two loan applications are the same-so we have an opportunity to customize our lending solutions for each member’s needs.
Q: What are some tips that you want people to be aware of when purchasing a new vehicle?
A: I always tell people there are multiple parts to purchasing the car that should be negotiated separately:
- Actual car itself
- Your trade in if you have one
- The financing of the vehicle
- Additional purchase options like warranties and vehicle protection.
Though it may take a bit more time, negotiating each one separately has the potential to save the member a significant amount of money on the overall purchase.
Q: What does the pre-approval process for an auto loan look like?
A: A member can apply for a pre-approval at any time in the car buying process. We recommend having a general idea of how much you are planning on financing and how much of a down payment you plan to provide. You do not need to know the exact car.
Once we receive the application one of our lending specialists will reach out to you to review the details of the loan, provide a loan decision and the required documents. At that point you will have the peace of mind knowing your financing is secured and you will not have to rely on the dealership for financing.
Q: Can you share some insight on the impact of green loans we offer at MSCU?
A: At MSCU we proudly have helped finance over 500 energy improvement projects and electric vehicles. Being able to offer affordable financing options that help save our members even more money and has a positive impact on the environment is a win for everyone!
Q: What’s something you want our members to know about our Smart-e loans?
A: MSCU has been providing low cost financing for energy improvements on residential homes for over 4 years now. We can provide financing for projects including heating and cooling, solar panels, window replacement and many more items (over 40 projects to choose from) that you do NOT need to tap into your home’s equity or use a personal loan to finance.
Q: Are there any new services or products our members should be aware of in our auto lending space?
A: When you finance your vehicle with MSCU you also have access to credit union vehicle warranties including:
- GAP insurance
- Debt protection
- Our new program, Auto Essentials (coverage for tire and wheels, key fob replacement and more.)
These options, like our low vehicle loan rates, are available to all of our membership at a significant savings compared to the dealership.
Whether you’re a first-time car buyer or a seasoned veteran, MSCU can provide solutions to help you navigate car-buying with ease and offer protection on your vehicle with our array of auto warranty options. The MSCU team including Ralph, is here to provide knowledgeable and responsible advice to help you elevate your financial wellbeing. If you have worked with Ralph, share a comment below about your experience!
