ATB Financial

I have been a customer for about 15 years, and never had any issues until I needed a mortgage for my first home. As any first-time homeowner, there's not much you know (or at least I was). There's many things that could have made my experience better, and I think this particular person who helped me, could have done a much better job. I am NOT saying to not do your mortgage with ATB, but beware of DARLENE SHORT. When I first met with Tanya, she was very helpful and told me many things I did not know. Unfortunately she had to transfer me to Darlene, who is a nice lady. But it took her FIVE weeks to tell me how much I could borrow. I'm sorry, but that is WAY too long to figure out how much. (Tanya had given me an idea, so I went house shopping based on that.) Everyone at the Lacombe branch knows that I have saved a lot over the years, but Darlene insisted that I needed a co-signer(s). Her reasoning made sense, and my parents agreed to it. Then Darlene needed to know every single little detail about them, while this was going to be MY home, and MY mortgage. I must say, Darlene did a great job getting all the papers done for the realtor and lawyer. I am grateful for that. When my parents and I came in to sign for the mortgage, Darlene was unfortunately sick that day. Her assistant did not go over with us how much my mortgage would be every month, the interest rate, open/closed, amount of years, ... none of that. So when I got the lawyer's papers back, I was a little shocked to see how much I'd be paying per month. Now I can totally afford it, and it will help me out in the long run... but I am stuck with this for five years and I KNOW I could have had a better interest rate. Since this was sent to me a few days before closing date, and it had to be couriered back to Lethbridge I had no choice but to sign. I did ask Darlene, and she said she was sorry that it had happened, and she assumed that Tonielle had told me what it was going to be. There are many things that could have better (with the lawyer and home insurance too), but I am a little disappointed in the service that the Lacombe ATB gave me. A first home is something very exciting, and I wish that the financial part of things had been done a little better.