RBL doubles its assets

Raiffeisen Banca pentru Locuinte (Raiffeisen Housing Bank – RBL) ended last year with total assets worth 40 million euros, double the level seen at the end of 2004. The average value per housing loan contract, the main product sold by the bank, stood at just over 5,400 euros, exceeding the forecasted value of 4,700 euros. “The fact that the average value of a contract exceeded the forecasted level last year shows that our clients” financial behaviour is driven towards saving,” says Ionut Costea, chairman of Raiffeisen Banca pentru Locuinte. Bank officials say the financial results have not been audited yet, and that more information will be available after the General Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for next month. In 2005, the bank increased its capital by 1.3 million euros, to over 18 million euros. At the same time, the sales force increased almost five-fold, reaching 7,400 agents. RBL also developed a new way of selling its products in Raiffeisen branches by setting up their own offices. The bank also sells its products by means of a collaboration with the Romanian Post Office. ZF