They pull EX exclusively.
Membership is a hard pull.
Their Platinum CC is a reward card. They have no BT or cash fees. Currently they have a BT promo 3.9% till December 2010. Regular purchase & cash rate is 9.9%, so not the best, but definitely not the worst. They provide the ability to BT online, transfer cash online and convenience checks. They also allow you to use credit accounts as backup overdraft (no fee).
I like their PSL/Visa (personal service loan / visa combo account). This is a LOC and Visa with CL's combined and mutually accessible. You can use any promo offer or rate for your full combined CL.
This reports as 2 separate TL's, but each reports the "COMBINED" CL. So if you have a $20k PSL/Visa (equals $10k LOC and $10k Visa) you will get reported the LOC with $20k and the Visa with $20k, appearing to be $40k. So this is my circumstance. I have a $20,000 PSL/V CL reporting as two separate accounts (the LOC and Visa) but each show my combined CL. If I ever decide to use and carry a balance, it would be this account since my uti percentage will always be better. I'd use another card, then probably BT to the 3.9% for a year or so.
The benefit is that if you use your CL and carry a balance, you have much lower FICO utilization ding. Even if you maxed your CL, it would only report as 50% used.
The downside of this account is that it is 2 TL's meaning you will have both affect your AAoA and new accounts age.
They have credit standards similar to NFCU, IMO. I don't have any derogs, but EX is my worst CR, by far (half the age in both oldest account and AAoA), and I applied for PSECU dead last after around 8 other new accounts reporting and multiple inquiries.
First I joined. Then I applied for $10k Visa - approved. Then a few weeks later I app'ed for the PSL/V for a total CL of $20k (their max revolving CL) - approved.
They also have some decent auto loan rates.
Message Edited by txjohn on 09-10-2009 03:14 PM
