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First Citizens Community Bank loans review
This highly rated Pennsylvania bank serves local farmers and more.
Bottom line: First Citizens offers a wider range of business financing options than your typical community bank — and it offers a special program for agriculture.
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Business term loans, business lines of credit, SBA loans, equipment loans, letters of credit, accounts receivable financing, agriculture loans, commercial real estate loans, personal loans, private education loans, personal lines of credit, auto loans
Types of loans available
Yes
Online applications
Details
| Types of loans available | Business term loans, business lines of credit, SBA loans, equipment loans, letters of credit, accounts receivable financing, agriculture loans, commercial real estate loans, personal loans, private education loans, personal lines of credit, auto loans |
|---|---|
| Online applications | Yes |
| Number of branches | 30 |
| Branch hours | Varies by branch, usually 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays at select branches |
| Customer service hours | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday |
| Customer service options | Phone, form email |
| Mobile app | Yes |
| Routing number | 031309589 |
Review by
Anna Serio
anna.serio@finder.comAnna Serio is a trusted lending expert and certified Commercial Loan Officer who's published more than 1,000 articles on Finder to help Americans strengthen their financial literacy. A former editor of a newspaper in Beirut, Anna writes about personal, student, business and car loans. Today, digital publications like Business Insider, CNBC and the Simple Dollar feature her professional commentary, and she earned an Expert Contributor in Finance badge from review site Best Company in 2020.
Expert review
First Citizens Community Bank offers more than you might find at your average local lender. It has a dedicated agriculture loans program and its financing options include letters of credit, accounts receivable financing and SBA loans. It’s also one of the rare community banks to offer private student loans.
Though it doesn’t have any online customer reviews, it’s consistently won awards through publications like Forbes and American Banker. But while it offers an online application on some loans to speed up the process, it’s not totally virtual. You still have to stop by a branch to apply for business loans.
What is First Citizens Community Bank?
There are a few banks that share the name First Citizens Community Bank. This review is about the Eastern Pennsylvania bank with locations in Allegheny County, New York, as well as New Castle and Kent Counties in Delaware.
This First Community Bank has been an award-winning lender, especially when it comes to customer service and agriculture lending. Most notably, Forbes readers voted it Best State Bank in 2018 and 2019 and American Banker ranked it as a top-performing bank 13 years in a row.
What types of loans does First Community Bank offer?
You can find the following types of loans at this local lender.
- Business term loans. Funding for a one-time expense like hiring employees, restocking inventory and facility improvements.
- Business lines of credit. Access to a revolving credit limit as needed for long-term or seasonal costs, like inventory, taking advantage of trade discounts and working capital.
- SBA loans. Up to $5 million in government-backed funding through the SBA's 7(a) and 504 lending programs, with a fast turnaround on loans of $350,000 or less.
- Equipment loans. Term loans to finance new or used equipment — usually with terms based on the estimated useful life of your purchase.
- Letters of credit. A bank guarantee on large purchases, usually for a term of one year or less with fees based on the face value. You only pay interest if the bank pays your supplier.
- Accounts receivable financing. Access your unpaid invoices and have First Citizens Community Bank handle customer billing.
- Agriculture loans. Loans tailored to the needs of farming and other agricultural expenses, such as buying farm equipment, livestock and operating expenses.
- Commercial real estate loans. Funding for buying, refinancing or constructing property for business use — including owner-occupied and investment properties.
- Personal loans. Secured and unsecured financing for personal expenses like a wedding or consolidating debt — with a 0.25% autopay discount from a First Citizens bank account.
- Private education loans. First Citizens offers undergraduate student loans starting at $1,000, plus student loan consolidation — with a special program for medical professionals.
- Personal lines of credit. Access to cash for ongoing personal expenses like home improvements, with variable rates.
- Auto loans. Financing for new cars and trucks with a 15% down payment and used vehicles with a 20% down payment — plus the option to get preapproved and a 0.25% autopay discount from a First Citizens account.
- Mortgages. Finance a new home or refinancing your current mortgage with First Citizen's home loan team.
What industries does First Citizens specialize in?
Like many community banks in rural areas, First Citizens Community Bank specializes in agricultural financing. It has a dedicated agriculture team and advisory board, as well as a separate loan program specifically for agricultural businesses.
How does borrowing with First Citizens Community Bank work?
First Citizens Community Bank allows you to apply for some of its loan products online to speed up the process. But you still have to set up an appointment with a loan officer to apply for a business loan. And you need to come into a branch after you've been approved to sign your loan documents.
Typically community banks take at least a few weeks to process applications. But since First Citizens uses online applications, the turnaround on these loans is likely shorter. Still, it won't be as fast as getting funding through an online lender.
How to get started
You can get started by submitting a request for information about the business loan you're interested in.
- Go to the First Citizens Community Bank website — make sure it's the Pennsylvania-based bank.
- Choose Loans & credit and select the type of loan you're interested in.
- Hit Request info.
- Fill out the form with your contact information and a question you'd like to ask the loan team.
- Hit Submit and wait for a response.
Pros
- Wide range of options, like AR financing and letters of credit
- Special lending program for agriculture
- Start your application online for most products
Cons
- Branch visit required after online application
- No customer reviews
- All NY branches and most DE branches closed on Saturdays
See other business loan options
Compare Citizens Community Bank against a selection of online lenders before you apply.
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First Citizens Community Bank reviews and complaints
First Citizens Community Bank doesn't have any online reviews. This is unusual for a bank of this size, but not uncommon for financial institutions that mainly serve tight-knit rural communities. Ask other business owners in your area about their experiences with this bank for an overview of the quality of customer service.
What do employees say?
Only a few employees have left online reviews, which are mostly positive. The majority mention having positive relationships with customers and their coworkers — though not all. This can be a sign that First Citizens has relatively low turnover. Banks with low turnover usually mean you can rely on one loan officer for years.
What other products does it offer?
Consider signing up for these other banking products when you apply for a loan. The more accounts you have with a bank, the easier it is to manage and qualify for financing.
- Agriculture business market volatility protection
- Business lock box banking
- Business money market accounts
- Checking and savings accounts
- CDs
- Credit cards
- Farm succession planning
- Health Savings Accounts
- IRAs
- Merchant card services
First Citizens Community Bank history
Andrew Ross and Philip Williams founded Ross and Williams Bank in 1872, which would eventually grow to become First Community Bank. That first branch opened in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, where First Community is still headquartered. It opened branches in Delaware in April 2020 when it acquired MidCoast Community Bank. And it opened a new branch in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania in November 2020.
Find a lender that offers the best option for your business by comparing more business loans.