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First Investors Announces Alliance With LendingTree

27 March 2000

    HOUSTON - First Investors Financial Services announced today an alliance
with LendingTree, Inc. an Internet-based loan marketplace for consumers and 
lenders.  Under the alliance agreement, First Investors will join LendingTree's 
Lender Network and will receive consumer loan requests from
LendingTree's online loan website.  First Investors will target consumers in 
the LendingTree marketplace that did not meet the credit characteristics required 
by prime automobile lenders.  Through this alliance, First Investors expands 
its ability to provide automobile loans directly to consumers for the purchase 
or refinance of an automobile.  Through its relationship with a nonprime auto 
finance company, LendingTree strengthens its commitment to providing consumers 
with challenged credit profiles access to competitive terms to meet their 
automotive financing needs.

    "We are very excited about the opportunity to expand our product offerings
and reach consumers attracted to LendingTree's vast online marketplace for
automobile financing.  LendingTree is a leader in the online lending industry
and First Investors is one of the oldest nonprime automobile lenders in the
country with over 11 years of experience," said Tommy A. Moore, Jr., President
and CEO of First Investors.  "While we have experience in lending directly to
consumers, the ability to source loan requests over the Internet has been a
strategic initiative of First Investors for some time.  We believe the
LendingTree relationship provides important access to this growing area."

    "One of our goals at LendingTree is to empower all consumers in the
lending process," said Doug Ledba, founder and CEO of LendingTree.  "Having
First Investors on our Network enables us to empower a segment of consumers
who, up to now, have not had a strong online advocate in their quest for an
automobile loan."

    First Investors Financial Services Group
    First Investors is a specialized consumer finance company engaged in the
purchase and retention of automobile finance receivables originated directly
from consumers as well indirectly through relationships with over
3,000 franchised dealerships in 26 states.  The Company was founded in 1989 in
Houston, Texas and today has a portfolio of automobile receivables in excess
of $220 million.

    LendingTree, Inc.
    LendingTree is the Internet-based loan marketplace for consumers and
lenders.  LendingTree collects consumer credit requests and compares those
requests and related credit information to the underwriting criteria of more
than 100 participating lenders in the LendingTree network.  The LendingTree
marketplace encompasses most consumer credit categories, including mortgages,
home equity loans, automobile loans, credit cards and person loans.