Finally got an estimate

I got a call back from Poalim on erev chag saying that the teudat zakaut had finally come in.  After several failed phone calls, because they don't answer their phones, made an appointment to get an estimate and actually apply for a mortgage.

I arrived on time, and still had to sit there with a squirmy 10 month old while the banker puttered around.

The estimate she gave me was amazing. She said we get better rates because we have an account with Poalim, and the rates she gave me were much lower than Mizrahi had cited.  She also realized that we're still missing a crucial piece of paper, an ishur zechuyot, so we called my lawyer who called the seller's lawyer, who called the company - in short, we're stalled until we get that piece of paper.

In the meantime, I went into Otzar Hachayal to see if we opened an account there if that meant better mortgage rates.  They told me it is illegal to do quid pro quo, but that we could get good rates anyway.  Interesting.

I have an appointment for an estimate with Otzar Hachhayal for Thursday. We'll see what rates they offer me.

Bank Hapoalim, take two

We got the assorted paperwork together and I went back to HaPoalim today in PT to get the Teudat Zakaut.

She then asked me for my marriage license, not one of the things she had listed last week.  Fortunately, S was home so he scanned and e-mailed in our Israeli marriage ishur - since we got married in the US.

We were going through the paperwork, and at some point she asked me if I had received any "social assistance".  I asked her what she meant and she said help with rent, etc.  I told her I had received an absorption package from Misrad Haklita when I made Aliyah.
She turned to a coworker to ask if this was considered social assistance.

I then asked her - and she confirmed - I was the first Olah she had dealt with for a mortgage.  Ever.  Petach Tikva is a very large city in the middle of the country.  Go figure.

She then looked at the ishur that S had sent over - and didn't understand what it was.  I explained to her that that was what you get when you get married overseas.

She sent in the paperwork.

I'm half expecting to get a panicked call next week saying that they need my fingerprints or something, but we'll see.

Bank Hapoalim

Last week, I went up to the Poalim branch in Ariel to get an estimate on a mortgage.  They told me they can't do it here, so I gave them all my information and they made me an appointment for the branch in Petach Tikva at 6:15 pm tonight.

I arrived a little early and went upstairs to the mortgage area to wait.  There was another guy waiting who said that he had been waiting for the better part of an hour so far.  Eventually, the adviser asked us what we were doing there.  When we told her we had an appointment, she didn't believe it.  I handed her the paper printout from my branch and she still didn't believe it.  After getting the name of the manager and the branch number from me she called him and started yelling at him for making us an appointment so late.  Apparently these appointments take at least an hour, so they need to be done earlier in the day.

She finished with the people she was working on, took care of the guy before us and then came our turn.

Problems:
1) The paperwork on the mortgage was not up to date - the seller's lawyer had not given my lawyer up to date forms.
2) We were missing something called a Teudat Zakaut, which lists the different reasons we should get a better rate on a mortgage - things like being olim, having a child, living in Ariel, S's army service and apparently ID information on S's sister who lives in Modiin.

Good things:
1) The adviser actually seemed to know what she was talking about.
2) Since I have an account with Poalim, I am entitled to certain perks, like better rates, an interest free loan and the like.

In short, my branch of Poalim screwed up again, but the bank as a whole is not out of the running yet.

I also started looking at furniture and appliances.  More on that later.