Alerus

Alerus is a nice bank in a convenient location. the staff are helpful and friendly and the drive thru is convenient.

Shannon Kramer (Mortgage Banker at Alerus) is a gem! Well before Shannon knew whether she would actually end up with our business, she was more than willing to answer questions and help us figure out a way forward that was in OUR best interests - not hers. Our situation is fairly unique and it wasn't an easy process, but she made it as painless and smooth as possible.

Along the way, we ran into several bumps, but before I could get too discouraged, Shannon was right there with a solution to get us back on track. I am incredibly impressed with her knowledge of the financing process, but also with her network of professionals who are able to step in when needed. For instance, we needed a new homeowner's insurance policy (quickly, so as not to delay closing) but were having a tough time finding a company to insure us because of an open claim. When I emailed Shannon to give her a heads up that I was striking out with every insurer I tried, she responded quickly with the name of an agent who might be able to help. Within one day, the agent she suggested was able to get us a policy that was less expensive than we expected.

Shannon is very responsive and a great communicator - I never had to wait long for a response to any of my (many, many) questions. She was also extremely patient with two rubes who have never been down this path before.

All in all, our experience with Shannon (and, by extension, Alerus) was better than we could have hoped for. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to finance or refinance their home.