First Bank of the Lake, Osage Beach, MO

The assistance given us on a mortgage application process was actually pleasurable!! We were advised of the best time to rate lock and processing was very easy. If you don’t like loan processing give these great folks a chance to give you an exceptional experience

After reading a lot of negative reviews I was terrified that my PPP loan was not being processed swiftly. I reach out via email and did not get a response. Then by phone and had trouble getting through. However, I left a message, or three :), and received a call back. My loan was quickly processed after that and the customer service was excellent. So excellent that I feel obligated to leave this review. My suggestion if you are like me and your loan is not getting processed in a normal timely manner, call them. The issue for me was there couple problems with my application that where quick and easy to fix. However, no one noticed me and I my loan seemed to be placed in the problem (we’ll get to it) pile. I know how frustrating this process can be, but my experience was that this is a good and reliable source for a PPP loan.

I submitted a PPP loan application on February 3 2021 and they took a long time to get the application approved. I had to call this bank several time through out the month after I submitted my application because they had my application on hold. Every time I would call to get a status, they would tell me that they were waiting for SBA guidance. After the president gave two weeks for small business to apply, I called again to ensure that they would use the néw guidelines on my application, several agents informed me that the new guidelines were going to be used on my application. On March 15, I called again and they informed me that my application was finally approved. So I asked them if they have made the changes of the loan amount based on the new guidelines. And guess what they told me? That they did not applied the new guidelines and that they couldn’t make any changes since it was already approved by the SBA! Basically I couldn’t do anything anymore because the the day of these application is the end of this month. I had a bad experience with this bank and I do not recommend this bank for a PPP loan because they take a while to get you approve and if you do not call them, they will not work on your PPP loan. I had to call them several time in order to push them to approve my loan. I wonder how they are going to deal with my forgiveness application, I’m just a little curious.

After the SBA requested more information for my PPP loan, I emailed the bank for a week straight. I emailed four different people, asking for the underwriter to contact me directly so I can get him the appropriate paperwork. No one wrote back to me the entire week until they just said you did not send us enough paperwork to process your loan. This bank is absolutely horrible and this is extremely frustrating and disappointing.

After selling my business to a buyer who used this bank for a SBA backed loan I can say that the experience has been horrible. It truly seems that the bank is professionally inept and incompetent. They blamed delays on internal procedures that are out of the norm for the banking industry. The interactions have ranged from dishonest to professionally inept and incompetent. Do not use this bank. Go somewhere else.

I had a great experience at First Bank of the Lake. From start to finish the process was smooth sailing. We started the SBA loan process mid August and just closed our loan last week (mid October). They work hard, quickly (but efficiently) and always respond in a timely manner. I highly recommend them for your financial needs!

Incredibly professional and committed team that puts customer service and customer relationship front and center of the loan approval and execution process. I look forward to closing all of the SBA loans with this amazing team!

I am currently working with Elise on a loan. She is and always has been professional, dependable, prompt, knowlegable, friendly, courteous, respectful, understanding, and eager to take care of MY business. I look forwad to doing business with this bank based simply on her as an ambassodor of the bank. — Mark Campassi / Hamilton Alabama / 9/6/23