ENB Insights

Your Social Security number is an extremely important piece of personal information. These numbers are used to open new credit cards, to acquire loans and in some cases, to establish new identities. Because of this, criminals and scammers work very hard to steal Social Security numbers.

Accessing business accounts over the Internet is not just a convenience; it is a necessity in today’s fast-paced business environment.  At Ephrata National Bank, we are invested in protecting our customer’s financial information and look forward to partnering with you to assist in safeguarding your online identity.

How Much of Your Income Should Go Toward Housing? If you’re ready to start house-hunting – or if you’re just looking to build a better budget – you need to know how much of your income should go toward housing.

If you have never applied for a mortgage, getting started can seem daunting.  Fear of the unknown can even cause first-time homebuyers to put off looking for a home, even when they can afford one. This is completely understandable since it will probably be the biggest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime. To take some of the worry away, we have broken down the entire process into six easy steps so you can make your dream of home ownership a reality.

One of the biggest joys of owning a home is that your mortgage payment allows you to build equity in it. Home equity is the difference between your home’s value and what you owe. Some homeowners enjoy building equity so much; they want to know ways they can build it faster. Here we explore ways you can do that.

We’ll show you what home equity is and how you can use it to access low-cost financing through a home equity loan or home equity line of credit.

Homeownership has its advantages. Saying “goodbye” to renting often means saying “hello” to increased square footage, stable housing payments, and potential tax benefits. It also provides an opportunity to build equity, the difference between the mortgage balance and the market value of the home, in an appreciating asset. The good news gets even better when homeowners learn they don’t have to sell their homes to access that equity. They can use a home equity line of credit to access the cash value in their homes today.

With the 2018 tax season underway, all customers should take extra precaution when filing their return to prevent their exposure to tax fraud.

You’ve probably heard of phishing. But do you really know what it is - and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling victim to it? Phishing scams have become very sophisticated, but there are some simple things you can do to protect yourself and keep your personal information safe.

Additions and major home renovation projects make your house feel more like a home and potentially boost its functionality and resale value. But unless you are in a position to pay cash for renovations, you’ll be looking to finance them in the form of a loan.  There are many different options you should consider based on the scope of your project, amount you are looking to borrow and the equity available in your home.  Here we’ll discuss three of the more common ones that are available to borrowers today.