Mountlake Terrace, WA – May 28, 2009 – Ryan Smith, a 26-year-old from Seattle was looking to buy his first home, and Golf Savings Bank and parent company Sterling Financial Corporation made it happen with their Home Buyer Special Lending program.

Smith, a digital photo editor and photographer, found the house he was looking for earlier this year, but the way the finances were working, he was ready to walk away from the deal. Then he found out from the builder that "I might be able to get some lender credit to help pay the closing costs. That made my decision much easier, and I was able to buy the home."

The program provides borrowers a lending credit of three percent of the sales price of a home up to a maximum of $20,000, which can be applied against closing costs or for rate buy-downs. Smith opted for the money to be applied to closing costs, and now is happily a first time home owner residing in Seattle’s Crown Hill neighborhood.

"Ryan was the first of now many that Golf and Sterling have been able to help through this program," stated Golf’s Executive Vice President, Donn Costa. "We have now distributed tens of millions of dollars to help customers purchase quality, new construction homes. It’s exciting to help so many people realize their dream of home ownership."

Smith worked with loan officer Matt Johnson of Golf, and described Matt’s services as "very helpful. He gave me excellent advice, and I had a lot of questions, this being my first home purchase."

About Golf Savings Bank
Golf Savings Bank's primary focus is the origination of high-quality residential home loans within a network of over 30 loan offices located throughout the Pacific Northwest. Golf Savings Bank offers affordable loan programs and products to homebuyers, including many first-time and low- to moderate-income buyers. Headquartered north of Seattle, Golf Savings Bank is a federally insured, Washington-state chartered savings bank. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sterling Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: STSA). Please visit at www.golfsavingsbank.com for more information.

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