Guaranty Bank joins Endpoint Exchange Network

A bank with 150 branches in California and Texas has joined Endpoint Exchange's national check image exchange network.

Endpoint is an Oklahoma City-based subsidiary of Metavante Corp. More than 4,000 institutions are members of Endpoint's network.

Guaranty Bank converted its image-item processing platform to AFS ImageVision in 2004 and will deploy AFS ImageVision Courier to interface to the Endpoint Exchange Network. The AFS ImageVision Courier interface was designed to take advantage of Endpoint Exchange Network, including forward presentment, incoming and outgoing returns and adjustments, and automated image quality assurance for exchanged images.

We view this as a significant step toward our ultimate goal of exchanging images on a large scale, said Mike Meyer, vice president of Guaranty Bank. Phasing into an image exchange environment will enable us to work in new procedures, policies, and workflow while in a dual paper and image mode of operation, and will also generate cost advantages for Guaranty Bank.

Guaranty Bank is owned by Temple-Inland Inc., which operates four business segments - corrugated packaging, forest products, real estate and financial services.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.