Texas credit union joins Co-Op Financial Services

ONTARIO, Calif. — Universal City, Texas-based Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union has joined Ontario, Calif.-based Co-Op Financial Services.

The alliance gives Randolph-Brooks’ 244,000 members access to more than 25,000 surcharge-free ATMs throughout the United States and nine other countries.

"Our credit union has a very mobile membership, so providing surcharge-free access to thousands of ATMs across North America and on overseas military bases makes good business sense," Christopher O'Connor, Randolph-Brooks senior vice president of member services, said in a news release.

Randolph-Brooks was founded in 1952 on Randolph Air Force Base.

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.