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This is probably a very good thing, considering the mess the top ten megabanks have made on the mainland. Some of the reasons for not having locations in Hawaii are amusing, such as a "tough local banking environment".
http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/28/pf/banks...?iid=HP_LN
Hawaii: No paradise for the megabanks
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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Bank of America was here for a while but pulled out.... didn't enhance it's reputation.
It is probably an advantage for Hawaiians to not have New York based banking in Hawaii. New York has kind of become Somalia On The Hudson, the pirate base of North America. Best to keep our distance as best as possible.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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quote:
Originally posted by pahoated
http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/28/pf/banks...index.html Hawaii: No paradise for the megabanks
Interesting article. I searched high and low for a BofA, Wamu/Chase, etc when I first arrived in Hawaii, and just gave up finally setting up an account a credit union. Never looked back.
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It's probably just "too inconvenient" for the megabanks to operate "outside the US" -- I thought Hawaii was "a state" until someone tried to wire money here; turns out it's an "international" wire transfer because it leaves the *physical* 48-contiguous.
The most convenient banking solution turned out to be a *mainland* credit union, and using Safeway as my ATM.
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My mainland banks had bulletproof glass shields separating me from the tellers, every time I did business with them I was treated like a stranger, and every time I got a mortgage it was sold off to another bank thousands of miles away before I wrote my first payment check. When I walk in the door at Bank of Hawaii, the mortgage officer spots me and waves from across the room (and no, they don't sell their mortgages..), the teller knows my name and I can smell the perfume from the flowers in her hair, and I feel like my business is appreciated. I don't have a fortune in their care, but they treat me like I was Mitt Romney and Warren Buffets' love child
Good riddance to mainland banks!
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quote:
Originally posted by KeaauRich...but they treat me like I was Mitt Romney and Warren Buffets' love child
I dont have the same faith in BOH but I loved the comment!! It totally expressed your feelings!!
I get this same feeling with my Credit Union in Keaau/Hilo/Next to the old safeway that I wont name!! LOL My brother from Cali was suited impressed when I used the drive up teller and they said hello to me by name and did not even ask for my ID.
My experience (again) with BOH the past 12 days has been awful except for the absolutely lovely person (joyce) in the "accounts" section who actually came up to hospital for a bank transaction for my mom and is helping to hopefully sort it out soon. My brother had to use his big boy voice and say "all I am trying to do is keep enough in this particular account to make sure that the mortgage payment to BOH does not bounce while Mom is in hospital!!" Of course at that time we were not signers but all we asked was will there be enough in it to make the payment. And if you say no, I will write a check to deposit in it now. Which is when Joyce stepped in and said let me fix this for you!
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Cat,
I bet your mom's situation had BoH between a rock and a hard place - there are probably privacy rules or security rules designed to protect your mom (ok, and the bank...)that your special situation was tripping over. Since you weren't signatories on the account, they weren't authorized to divulge info to you. In my past life I worked with law enforcement and the AARP to prevent fraud against seniors, and trust me, BoH was being your mom's best friend, frustrating as it may have seemed to you at the time.
Most banks would have said " Sorry, I wish I could help, but..." Joyce at BoH apparently went the extra mile to help you help your mom.
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Best tip I got first getting here was get a local credit union account. Made things so much smoother. As for Hawaii not being part of the states, it is recognized as NONCONUS, non Continental United States, which is CONUS. Alaska and Puerto Rico are also NONCONUS. Financial and transportation transactions are affected by this, mainly meaning delays or disconnects.
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
