Ridgewood Savings Bank

Visited this bank after-​hours to attend a FREE new homeowners workshop. The informative workshop had 3 speakers — mortgage consultant, architect and attorney. Each speaker provided an abundance of information including personal stories about home ownership. The consultant broke down mortgage types, closing costs, and the 4 C’s of Credit (capital, capacity, credit history, collateral). Of course the bank promoted its services but honestly, I think I will look into their affordable programs. One thing that stuck out was that they look at your credit history, not credit score. The architect from Tauscher Cronacher Engineers discussed what to look at during the home inspection prior to signing a contract. Lastly, the attorney from Cullen & Dykman discussed all legal matters, including the negotiation of the sales contract. The legal services average $ 750‑1500. This insightful workshop is exactly what I needed to start my search for a home.

This bank is very nice and large. It has been around for a long time. There is no fee to leave your money at this bank, which is the reason I chose this bank over others. The tellers are friendly enough and the security guards are warm and welcoming. I’ve only been a patron here for a few months but so far so good.

I have been an account holder with a fair amount of money for more than 5 years. During that time I have found the bank to be inefficient, requiring multiple physical trips to the bank and multiple phone calls and emails to fix a single simple problem — and of these there are many. Their online facilities are very poor — online deposits consistently don’t work (85% of the time it can’t read a mobile check deposit readily accepted by Chase with no problem). You can’t change you address or do many other things online. Online bill pay works inconsistently and you have to go to the bank to fix it. Wire transfers are a mystery to them. The website is often not working correctly. Customer service on the phone can never help you and you have to go the bank, where they often don’t really know what is going on either. I often can’t see my canceled checks in my statements. I have been charged for things that were supposed to be waived several times, requiring yet another trip to the bank. If you like taking off work (or ruining your day off) to go to the bank, this is the bank for you, because you will spend a lot of time there. I just bought a house, and everything that Chase did with no problems in minutes took several attempts at Ridgewood and a lot more time. The extended hours are sort of a lie, because there are a couple inexperienced tellers in a closed off window but not full banking (i.e. can’t do change of address or get a copy of canceled check that I should be able to see in my statement anyway).

Had to open an account with them as a condition of my mortgage.
Looking forward to working with a small bank.
Tried to set up online autopay and have just wasted an hour and a half of my life.
It is still not completed.
The online portal is terrible and tremendously out of date. (Though apparently it was just updated.)
You need to make different accounts/​passwords for different parts of the website. You aren’t allowed to use passwords longer than 10 digits?!?
If you make a mistake (like using the password for one part of the bank for another part of the bank) they lock you out. Folks on the phone are very nice but don’t know much about the website and can’t really help you.
This is really a put a stamp on an envelope type company in a want to be wired world.
PAIN.

If you think the bank is so freaking great try living near it. From the all-​night party in the playground (parking lot) to the hours and hours of the shredding truck going in the lot during the day this historic icon of annoyance and indifference to everyone that has to live, SLEEP and work in the neighborhood puts them on par with a toxic waste dump or kindergarten/​meth lab. They leave their parking lot open to the public who utilize it as a «Run amok zone» for their children. These kids literally are SCREAMING at the top of their lungs until after 10PM. Toddlers, up all night screeching while jabbering, vacuous parents smile on with the contentment that everyone should enjoy their inability to find and use birth control. Not every village wants to raise your child. Some people have to sleep and are not paying rent to listen to your kids scream. Move to the country where hopefully coyotes will snatch them up and probably do a better job raising them. Don’t get me started on the Warm weather «Concerts» they have in the parking lot. Suffice to say every weekend geezer doo-​wop and lawyer blooz act has found a home to blare idiotic Beatles songs we got sick of in the 1970’s. It IS nice that people don’t throw their trash in the parking lot during these events. They dump their McFrappe and Coolada cups right on the sidewalk where their SUV was parked before motoring back to Middle Village or wherever the hell they toted their folding chairs from.

I just opened an account here.
For starters, the building, both interior as well as exterior, is absolutely gorgeous. The staff are incredibly friendly and kind, and I’m really excited about my bank here. They treat you like a person rather than being impersonal, and I like their policies and the fact that they have no hidden fees.
It’s also super close to my house, which I’m happy about.

Fantastic bank, beautiful decorations, and the workers are all happy and a pleasure to do banking with.