NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE CO
10-Q, 1997-08-14
MORTGAGE BANKERS & LOAN CORRESPONDENTS
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                                    FORM 10-Q

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549
(Mark One)

          [ X ]QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1997

                                       OR

           [ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from  _________________  to  _____________________
                         Commission file number: 1-11017

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Delaware                                             68-0267088
(State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                             Identification No.)

              3883 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa, California, 95403-1699
               (Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

                                 (707) 523-5000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                     (Former name, former address and former
                   fiscal year, if changed since last report)

     Indicate  by check mark  whether the  registrant  (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No

     The  number of  shares of Common  Stock,  par value  $.01 per  share,  (the
"Common Stock") outstanding as of August 12, 1997, was 14,014,394.

                                        1


<PAGE>



PART 1 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION,

Item 1. Financial Statements.

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                             (Dollars in thousands)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                 June 30,          December 31,
                                                                   1997                1996
                                                                  ------              -----
                                                               (Unaudited)
ASSETS
<S>                                                          <C>                   <C>       
     Cash and cash equivalents.......................        $      9,833          $   22,005
     Advances and other receivables..................              68,290              85,299
     Real estate loans held for sale to investors
        ---net of unearned discounts.................             554,767             554,415
     Capitalized loan servicing......................             163,596             133,778
     Other intangible assets.........................               8,904               9,391
     Property and equipment..........................              38,676              38,541
     Other assets....................................              19,493              10,228
                                                                   ------              ------
                                                               $  863,559          $  853,657
                                                                  =======             =======

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY


LIABILITIES

     Warehouse line of credit......................            $  190,723          $  158,584
     Notes payable.................................                75,758              75,724
     Commercial paper and other borrowings.........               295,944             340,115
     Subordinated debt.............................                10,070              10,070
     Accounts payable and other liabilities........                76,427              65,763
                                                                  -------             -------
                                                                  648,922             650,256

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

     Convertible preferred stock (1,000,000 shares
        authorized, 748,179 shares issued and outstanding)...         ---                ---
     Common stock (50,000,000 shares authorized,
        16,437,705 and 16,394,544 shares issued at
        June 30, 1997 and December 31, 1996,                                
        respectively)........................................         164                 164
     Additional paid-in capital..............................     113,159             112,492
     Retained earnings.......................................     144,064             131,435
     Treasury stock,  at cost  (2,433,016 and 2,322,916  
     shares at June 30, 1997 and December 31, 1996,
        respectively)........................................     (42,750)            (40,690)
                                                                  -------             -------
                                                                  214,637             203,401
                                                                  -------
                                                               $  863,559          $  853,657
                                                                  =======             =======
</TABLE>

          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                        2
<PAGE>

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
               Three Months Ended June 30, 1997, and June 30, 1996
                  (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    Three Months Ended
                                                                         June 30,
                                                                   --------------------

                                                                     1997          1996
                                                                     -----         ----

INCOME:
<S>                                                         <C>              <C>         
    Loan administration fees............................  $    11,623      $     12,085
    Loan origination fees...............................       26,085            21,065
    Gain from sales of loans............................       31,592            27,128
    Interest income, net of warehouse interest expense..        7,266             7,126
    Gain from sales of servicing........................        8,229             8,047
    Other...............................................        3,502             2,353
                                                              -------
                                                               88,297            77,804

EXPENSES:
    Personnel............................................      42,498            38,026
    Other operating expenses.............................      21,435            18,698
    Interest expense.....................................       2,452             2,139
    Depreciation and amortization of property and
        equipment........................................       2,056             1,850
    Amortization of capitalized loan servicing...........       4,445             2,523
    Provision for impairment of originated loan servicing       2,625                 0
    Amortization of other intangibles....................         280               103
                                                                  ---               ---
                                                             
                                                               75,791            63,339

    Income before income taxes...........................      12,506            14,465
    Income tax expense...................................       5,082             5,794
                                                                -----             -----
                                                              

NET INCOME............................................... $     7,424       $     8,671
                                                              =======           =======

NET INCOME PER SHARE..................................... $      0.53      $       0.61
                                                              =======           =======

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING......................      14,015            14,292
                                                               ======            ======

</TABLE>


          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                        3

<PAGE>

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
                Six Months Ended June 30, 1997, and June 30, 1996
                  (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                   Six Months Ended
                                                                                      June 30,
                                                                           ------------------------------
                                                                              1997                 1996
                                                                           ---------            ---------

INCOME:
<S>                                                                    <C>                  <C>         
    Loan administration fees......................................     $     23,193         $     23,729
    Loan origination fees.........................................           45,040               40,879
    Gain from sales of loans......................................           56,237               48,971
    Interest income, net of warehouse interest expense............           13,765               13,620
    Gain from sales of servicing..................................           21,590               15,487
    Other.........................................................            6,506                4,449
                                                                              -----                -----
                                                                            166,331              147,135

EXPENSES:
    Personnel.....................................................           80,768               73,569
    Other operating expenses......................................           40,912               35,024
    Interest expense..............................................            4,934                4,483
    Depreciation and amortization of property and
        equipment.................................................            4,121                3,746
    Amortization of capitalized loan servicing....................            8,605                5,252
    Provision for (recovery of) impairment of originated loan
          servicing...............................................            2,358              (2,052)
    Amortization of other intangibles.............................             567                   214
                                                                               ---                   ---
                                                                            142,265              120,236

    Income before income taxes....................................           24,066               26,899
    Income tax expense............................................            9,754               10,768
                                                                              -----               ------
                                                                          
NET INCOME........................................................     $     14,312         $     16,131
                                                                             ======               ======

NET INCOME PER SHARE..............................................     $       1.02         $       1.10
                                                                              =====                =====

WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING...............................           14,040               14,676
                                                                             ======               ======



          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
</TABLE>

                                        4
<PAGE>


                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
                Six Months Ended June 30, 1997, and June 30, 1996
                             (Dollars in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                  Six Months Ended
                                                                                                     June 30,
                                                                                            ----------------------------

                                                                                               1997               1996
                                                                                            --------           --------

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
<S>                                                                                     <C>                 <C>         
    Net income.............................................................             $     14,312        $     16,131
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
        provided by operating activities:
        Depreciation, amortization, and impairment.........................                   15,651               7,161
        Excess servicing fee income........................................                      ---             (17,579)
        Gain from sales of servicing rights................................                  (21,590)            (15,487)
        Cash proceeds from sales of servicing rights.......................                   60,524              72,865
    Net decrease in real estate loans held for sale,
        net of unearned discounts..........................................                     (352)            (13,067)
    Decrease (increase) in advances and other receivables..................                   17,009             (12,569)
    Increase in accounts payable and other liabilities.....................                   10,664               7,099
    Decrease (increase) in other assets....................................                   (9,265)                504
                                                                                              ------                 ---
                                                                                            
        NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES..........................                   86,953              45,058

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
    Acquisition of assets of branches including
        purchase accounting adjustments....................................                      (80)                (11)
    Acquisition of capitalized servicing rights............................                  (79,715)            (67,717)
    Purchase of property and equipment.....................................                   (4,256)             (4,098)
                                                                                            --------            --------
        NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES..............................                  (84,051)            (71,826)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
    Increases in long-term debt............................................                       34                  37
    Increase (decrease) in warehouse lines of credit, commercial
        paper, repurchase agreements, and other borrowings.................                  (12,032)             45,227
    Purchases of treasury stock............................................                   (2,060)            (20,869)
    Dividends..............................................................                   (1,683)             (1,752)
    Stock issuance under incentive stock option plan.......................                      667                 236
                                                                                                 ---                 ---
                                                                                          
        NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING
        ACTIVITIES.........................................................                  (15,074)             22,879
                                                                                             -------              ------
                                                                                            
        EQUIVALENTS........................................................                  (12,172)             (3,889)
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year.........................                   22,005              12,273
                                                                                          
        END OF PERIOD......................................................               $    9,833       $       8,384
                                                                                              ======              ======

    Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information Cash paid during the period
        for:
        Interest...........................................................               $   16,876       $      13,652
                                                                                            ========           =========
        Income taxes.......................................................               $    1,794       $       2,128
                                                                                            ========           ========= 
          See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                        5
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation

         The  accompanying  unaudited  financial  statements  of North  American
Mortgage Company (the "Company") have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted  accounting   principles  for  interim  financial  information  and  in
accordance  with  instructions  to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of  Regulation  S-X.
Accordingly,  they do not include all of the information and footnotes  required
by generally accepted accounting  principles for complete financial  statements.
In the opinion of  management of the Company,  all  adjustments  (consisting  of
normal recurring  accruals)  considered  necessary for a fair  presentation have
been included.  Operating  results for the six month period ended June 30, 1997,
are not necessarily  indicative of the results that may be expected for the year
ended  December 31, 1997.  For further  information,  refer to the  consolidated
financial  statements and footnotes  thereto  included on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1996.

Note 2 - Net Income Per Share Information

         Net income per common share is computed  based on the weighted  average
number of shares outstanding during the period. The potential dilutive effect of
common  stock  equivalents  has not been  included  because  that  amount is not
considered to be material. The weighted average number of shares outstanding for
net income per share was  14,015,000  and  14,292,000 for the three months ended
June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively,  and 14,040,000 and 14,676,000 for the six
months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively.

Note 3 - Capitalized Servicing Rights

         In June 1996, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement
Number 125,  "Accounting  for Transfers  and  Servicing of Financial  Assets and
Extinguishments of Liabilities" (FAS No. 125), which became effective on January
1, 1997.  FAS No. 125 resulted in the recording of  Capitalized  Loan  Servicing
Rights  (CLSRs)  on the date of the sale of a mortgage  loan,  as opposed to the
previous  practice  of  recording  CLSRs on the date that loans are  originated.
Additionally, previously recorded excess servicing fees as at December 31, 1996,
have been  combined with CLSR for balance  sheet  presentation  and in the table
that follows.

         Capitalized  loan  servicing,   net  of  accumulated  amortization  and
impairment were as follows:



                                                            Capitalized Loan
                                                             Servicing, Net
                                                        (Dollars in thousands)
                                                        ----------------------


Balance at December 31, 1996.......................          $  133,778
Additions..........................................              79,715
Scheduled Amortization.............................              (8,605)
Impairment.........................................              (2,358)
Servicing Sale Basis...............................             (38,934)
                                                                -------

Balance at June 30, 1997...........................          $  163,596(1)
                                                                =======   
- ---------------
(1)At June 30, 1997, the  capitalized  loan servicing  impairment  allowance was
approximately $6.4 million.

                                        6

<PAGE>

Note 4 - FAS No. 128

         In February  1997,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board issued
Statement  No. 128,  "Earnings  Per  Share,"  which is required to be adopted on
December  31,  1997.  At that time,  the Company  will be required to change the
method  currently  used to compute  earnings  per share and to restate all prior
periods.  Under the new requirements for calculating primary earnings per share,
the dilutive  effect of stock options will be excluded.  The impact of Statement
128 is not  expected  to have a  material  effect on primary  and fully  diluted
earnings per share for the quarters or six months ended June 30, 1997,  and June
30, 1996, respectively.

Note 5 - Merger Agreement

         On June 22, 1997, the Company entered into a merger agreement with Dime
Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Dime")  pursuant  to which Dime will  acquire the Company in a
merger transaction.  Under the terms of the transaction,  which will be tax-free
to North  American  stockholders,  1.37  shares  of Dime  common  stock  will be
exchanged for each share of North American common stock  outstanding at the time
of the merger, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances,  set forth in the
merger  agreement.  Based on Dime's closing price on August 12, 1997, this ratio
represents a value of $26.63 per share of North American stock, for an aggregate
transaction  value of $383 million.  The transaction is expected to close in the
fourth  quarter of 1997,  subject  to the  satisfaction  of  certain  conditions
including  approval by North  American's  stockholders  and clearance  under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

Note 6 - Reclassification

         Certain  reclassifications  were made to the 1996  balances  to conform
with the 1997 presentation.



                                        7
<PAGE>
Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
        of Operations.

Quarter Ended June 30, 1997, Compared with Quarter Ended June 30, 1996

Merger Agreement

         On June 22, 1997, the Company entered into a merger agreement with Dime
Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Dime")  pursuant  to which Dime will  acquire the Company in a
merger transaction.  Under the terms of the transaction,  which will be tax-free
to North  American  stockholders,  1.37  shares  of Dime  common  stock  will be
exchanged for each share of North American common stock  outstanding at the time
of the merger, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances,  set forth in the
merger  agreement.  Based on Dime's closing price on August 12, 1997, this ratio
represents a value of $26.63 per share of North American stock, for an aggregate
transaction  value of $383 million.  The transaction is expected to close in the
fourth  quarter of 1997,  subject  to the  satisfaction  of  certain  conditions
including  approval by North  American's  stockholders  and clearance  under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

Results of Operations

         General Market Conditions - Based on current industry estimates,  total
United States purchase and refinance  origination levels were approximately $209
billion for both the second  quarter of 1997 and the second quarter of 1996. The
level of new and existing home purchases increased 3%, while refinancing volume,
which is particularly  sensitive to changes in interest rates, declined 10% (see
table below).


                                                     1-4 Family U.S. Mortgage
                                                          Originations*
                                                          Second Quarter

                                                   1997                  1996
                                                  ------                -----

                                                      (Dollars in billions)


New and existing home purchases........          $ 158                   $ 153

Refinancings...........................             51                      56
                                                  ----                     ---
                                                 $ 209                   $ 209
                                                   ===                     ===

_______________
*Sources:   Mortgage  Bankers  Association  (MBA),   Federal  National  Mortgage
Association (FNMA), and Federal Home Loan Mortgage  Corporation  (FHLMC).  (1997
market data based on current estimates.)

         The Company's  loan fundings for the quarter ended June 30, 1997,  were
$2.4 billion,  including $118 million of subprime  production,  compared to $2.5
billion during the second quarter of 1996, which had no subprime production. The
overall  decrease in  origination  volume (see table  below) was caused by a 17%
decline in  wholesale  fundings.  Wholesale  fundings  dropped due to  continued
severe  price  competition  within  this  channel  as well as a lower  level  of
refinancings.  Refinancings  represented 26% of the Company's total originations
in the second  quarter of 1997 compared with 32% in the second  quarter of 1996.
In contrast,  the Company's retail originations  increased during the quarter by
17%, as a result of the retail sales initiatives  instituted by the Company over
the past year which included opening retail offices and hiring additional retail
loan officers.



                                        8

<PAGE>

                                              Company Originations
                                                 Second Quarter
                                            1997                 1996
                                            ----                 ----
                                              (Dollars in millions)


Retail...............................  $    1,076            $     921

Wholesale............................       1,205                1,454

Telemarketing........................         111                  112
                                           ------

                                       $    2,392             $   2,487
                                            =====                 =====


         Summary of Results - Net income for the second quarter of 1997 was $7.4
million,  or $0.53 per share,  as compared to $8.7 million,  or $0.61 per share,
for the second  quarter of 1996.  Although the  Company's  overall loan fundings
declined by $95 million  during this  quarter  compared to the same quarter last
year, production related income rose due to the increases in retail and subprime
production,  as well as  improved  hedging  results.  The gains  achieved by the
Company's  production  division  were more than  offset by higher  expenses  for
amortization  and  impairment  against  the  carrying  value  of  the  Company's
servicing  portfolio.  The Company's earnings for the second quarters ended June
30,  1997 and 1996  included  $0.33 and $0.28 per share  respectively,  of gains
related to the sale of pre-1995 servicing, which has substantially no accounting
basis (see Servicing Rights discussion below).

         Servicing  Rights - The following table sets forth certain  information
regarding the servicing portfolio of the Company for the periods indicated:


                                                     Quarters Ended June 30,
                                                    1997                 1996
                                                    ----                 ----
                                                      (Dollars in millions,
                                                    except Average Loan Size)
  
Servicing Portfolio:
    Beginning Portfolio......................    $  12,498            $  13,603
        Add:
           Loans Originated..................        2,392                2,487
        Deduct:
           Sales of Servicing Rights.........      (1,540)              (1,751)
            Other Transfers..................        (118)                  (8)
           Run-off(1)........................        (504)                (495)
                                                  --------             --------
    Ending Portfolio.........................     $ 12,728             $ 13,836
                                                    ======               ======

    Average Loan Size of Ending Portfolio....     $ 99,000             $ 98,000

    Weighted Average Interest Rate...........        7.90%                7.72%

_________________
(1) Run-off refers to dollar amount of the  amortization of loans,  prepayments,
and  foreclosures.  Second  quarter  of 1997  annualized  run-off  rate  was 16%
compared with 15% during the second quarter of 1996.


                                        9

<PAGE>
         Effective January 1, 1997, the Company adopted FAS No. 125, "Accounting
for  Transfers  and  Servicing  of  Financial  Assets  and   Extinguishments  of
Liabilities."  This  statement  carried  forward the  provisions of FAS No. 122,
"Accounting for Mortgage Servicing Rights," which the Company adopted on January
1,  1995,  and which was an  amendment  to FAS No. 65.  The  primary  difference
between  FAS No.  125 and FAS No.  65,  as it  related  to the  Company,  is the
accounting  treatment  for the normal  servicing  fee  associated  with in-house
Capitalized Loan Servicing Rights (CLSRs). Virtually all of the additions to the
servicing  portfolio  are CLSRs.  Generally,  under FAS No.  65,  CLSRs were not
recorded  as an asset,  while  under FAS No.  125,  the full  value of CLSRs are
capitalized.

         As a result of the  difference  in  accounting  treatment,  the balance
sheet carrying value for servicing rights is significantly  different  depending
on whether the servicing was  originated  before  January 1, 1995  (pre-1995) or
after  January  1, 1995  (post-1995).  Management  believes  that the total fair
market value of its pre-1995  servicing  rights is  substantially  more than the
carrying  value,  while the fair market value of post- 1995 servicing  rights is
approximately equal to the net carrying value.

         The  following  table  summarizes  the  financial  impact  of  sales of
pre-1995 servicing for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 1997:




                                            Quarter Ended       Six Months Ended
                                            June 30, 1997        June 30, 1997
                                            -------------        -------------
                                              (Dollars in millions, except per
                                                           share)


    Principal Sold....................      $  827                  $  1,770
                                               ===                     =====

    Pre-Tax Gain......................      $  7.7                  $   20.1
                                               ===                      ====

    Earnings Per Share Impact.........      $ 0.33                  $   0.85
                                              ====                      ====


         The prices received for sales in 1997 may not necessarily be reflective
of the  value  of the  remaining  pre-1995  portfolio,  due  to  differences  in
portfolio  characteristics (i.e.,  servicing fees, age, coupon,  interest rates)
and  changes in market  conditions.  At June 30,  1997,  the net  balance  sheet
carrying value and the principal balance of the Servicing  Portfolio  originated
pre-1995 and post-1995 were as follows:



                                          Pre-1995   Post-1995  Total at 6/30/97
                                          --------   ---------  ----------------
Balance sheet carrying value
    (In thousands)                       $     956   $ 162,640     $ 163,596
                                               ---     -------       -------

Servicing portfolio principal balance
    (In millions)                         $  3,554   $   9,174    $   12,728
                                             -----       -----        ------

Carrying value percentage                    0.03%       1.77%         1.29%
                                             ----        ----          ----

         Management  continually  evaluates the Company's investment in retained
servicing rights and periodically makes decisions to sell servicing rights after
considering  the  following  criteria:  cash  requirements,   market  value  for
servicing  rights  compared to their economic value to the Company,  exposure to
prepayment risk, and earnings  impact.  To the extent the Company elects to sell
pre-1995 servicing rights,

                                       10

<PAGE>
virtually all of the net proceeds  from such sales are  recognized as a one-time
gain  from  sale  of  servicing  due  to  their  minimal  book  value.   Of  the
approximately $3.6 billion of pre-1995 servicing remaining at June 30, 1997, the
Company estimates that it may be economically  advantageous  (i.e., where market
value  equals  or  exceeds  the  economic  value to the  Company)  to sell  only
approximately $1.65 billion as part of its future servicing sales. The Company's
results of operations have historically been and will continue to be impacted by
the amount and timing of sales of pre-1995 servicing rights.

         Historically,  when  interest  rates  decline,  the  incremental  value
created  by  the  Company's   production   organization  from  higher  refinance
originations  has more than offset the loss in value to its servicing  portfolio
resulting from higher  prepayments.  Accordingly,  the Company has not purchased
any financial prepayment hedges, but it has relied on its ability to produce new
servicing as a macro-hedge.  Under FAS No. 125, however,  when rates decline (as
occurred during the second quarter of 1997), the timing of additional production
revenues and any servicing  impairment charge, for financial statement purposes,
may not occur in the same  period.  The  Company  was  required  to  recognize a
servicing  impairment  charge of $2.4 million during the second quarter of 1997,
while  any  incremental  production  revenues  may  be  generated  over  several
subsequent periods.

         Revenues - Revenues for the second  quarter of 1997 were $88.3 million,
a $10.5 million,  or 13%,  increase as compared with $77.8 million in the second
quarter of 1996.  Revenues  increased in the second  quarter of 1997, due to the
shift toward retail production and the introduction of subprime lending.

         Loan  administration  fees were $11.6 million in the second  quarter of
1997, a 4% decrease, as compared to $12.1 million in the second quarter of 1996.
This  decrease  resulted  from  the  12%  decrease  in the  average  size of the
Company-owned  servicing  portfolio,  partially  offset  by an  increase  in the
weighted average servicing fee collected on loans serviced.

         Loan origination fees were $26.1 million in the second quarter of 1997,
a 24% increase,  as compared  with $21.1 million in the second  quarter of 1996.
This increase occurred in spite of a 4% decrease in production  volume, due to a
higher   percentage  of  retail   originations  and  the  addition  of  subprime
originations,  both of which typically  produce higher fee income. In the second
quarter of 1997, 45% of origination volume was from retail sources,  as compared
to 37% during the second quarter of 1996.

         The gain from  sales of loans  was  $31.6  million  during  the  second
quarter of 1997,  as compared with $27.1  million  during the second  quarter of
1996. Gain from sales of loans is impacted by hedging activity, price subsidies,
and the recognition of Capitalized  Loan Servicing  Rights under FAS No. 125. In
1997,  gain from sales of loans was affected by the above  factors,  but also by
the gain on sale of  subprime  loans,  which  is a new  product  offered  by the
Company.  A summary  of these  items for the  second  quarters  of 1997 and 1996
follows:


                                                    1997              1996
                                                    ----              ----
                                                    (Dollars in millions)

Hedging Gains.............................      $   4.4            $   2.0

Pricing Subsidies.........................         (7.8)              (8.8)

Capitalized Loan Servicing Rights.........         31.4               33.9

Gain on Sale of Subprime Loans............          3.6                ---
                                                  -----               ----
                                                $  31.6            $  27.1
                                                   ====               ====


         During the second quarter of 1997,  hedging results  benefited from low
bond market volatility and declining  interest rates. As a result, the Company's
hedging results  produced gains of 18 basis points on originations in the second
quarter of 1997 compared to 8 basis points on originations in the second quarter
of 1996.  To the extent that there is a  significant  change in the direction of
interest rates or an increase in bond market  volatility,  the Company's  future
hedging results may be negatively affected.

         Pricing  subsidies  decreased to $7.8 million during the second quarter
of 1997, or an average subsidy of 32 basis points on loans produced, compared to
$8.8 million in the second  quarter of 1996,  or 35 basis  points.  The decrease
primarily was due to the increased percentage of retail originations, which have
a much lower price  subsidy.  The overall level of price subsidy  remained high,
reflecting the continuing  price  competition in the industry,  particularly  on
loans originated through the wholesale channel. Capitalized loan servicing gains
decreased to $31.4 million  during the second  quarter of 1997, as compared with
$33.9  million in the second  quarter of 1996,  as a result of a decrease in the
principal balance of loans sold. Gain on sale of subprime loans was $3.6 million
or 355 basis points on the sale of $100.1 million of subprime loans,  during the
second quarter of 1997.

         Interest income,  net of warehouse  interest expense,  was $7.3 million
during the second quarter of 1997, as compared to $7.1 million during the second
quarter of 1996.  In the second  quarter of 1997,  the average  balance of loans
held for sale  increased  by 10%,  which had the effect of  increasing  interest
income.  The effect of this  increase  was  partially  offset by a  decrease  in
working capital used by the Company to reduce its warehouse borrowing cost.

         Gain from sales of servicing was $8.2 million during the second quarter
of 1997,  as compared to $8.0  million  during the second  quarter of 1996, a 2%
increase.  In the second  quarter of 1997, the Company sold $1.5 billion (or 64%
of originations) of servicing rights, compared with the sale of $1.8 billion (or
71% of originations) in the second quarter of 1996.

         The following table  summarizes the significant  factors  impacting the
quarterly gain from servicing sales:


                                                  1997                 1996
                                                  ----                 ----
                                                    (Dollars in millions)


Principal Balance of Servicing Sold..........    $ 1,540              $ 1,751
                                                   =====                =====

Net Proceeds.................................       21.5                 30.0

Capitalized Loan Servicing Basis.............      (13.3)               (22.0)
                                                 -------              -------

     Gain on Sales of Servicing..............    $   8.2              $   8.0
                                                   =====               ======

         As  previously   discussed  under  "Servicing  Rights,"  the  Company's
servicing originated before 1995 had virtually no accounting basis.  Included in
the gain on  servicing  sold for the second  quarter of 1997 was $7.7 million of
gain on the sale of  pre-1995  originated  servicing  rights  (on  $827  million
principal  balance sold), as compared to a gain of $6.6 million (on $584 million
principal balance sold) in the second quarter of 1996.

         Other income was $3.5 million  during the second quarter of 1997, a 49%
increase from $2.4 million

                                       11


<PAGE>
for the second  quarter of 1996.  This  increase  was  largely due to a $794,000
increase in insurance  commission  revenues  earned by the  Company's  insurance
agency  subsidiary,  which purchased certain assets of Lomas Insurance  Services
during the fourth quarter of 1996.

         Expenses - Expenses for the second  quarter of 1997 were $75.8 million,
a 20% increase, as compared to $63.3 million during the second quarter of 1996.

         Personnel  and other  operating  costs of $63.9  million  in the second
quarter of 1997 were $7.2 million or 13% higher than the second quarter of 1996.
This increase is primarily  associated  with the Company's  expanded  retail and
subprime distribution network. During the same comparable periods, the Company's
production  revenues,  which include origination fees and gain on sale of loans,
increased by $9.5 million or 19%.

         Amortization of capitalized loan servicing increased to $4.4 million in
the second  quarter  of 1997,  as  compared  to $2.5  million  during the second
quarter of 1996. This increase was primarily attributable to the higher carrying
value of the asset during the second quarter of 1997.

         Impairment of  capitalized  loan  servicing was $2.6 million during the
second  quarter of 1997.  There was no impairment in the second quarter of 1996.
This  resulted  from a declining  interest  rate  environment  during the second
quarter of 1997.  Interest rates affect the prepayment speeds,  which impact the
value of the capitalized loan servicing asset.




                                       12


<PAGE>

Six Months Ended June 30, 1997, Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 1996

         Summary  - Net  income  for the  first  six  months  of 1997 was  $14.3
million,  or $1.02 per share, as compared to $16.1 million,  or $1.10 per share,
earned  during the first six months of 1996.  The  decrease in earnings  relates
primarily to a $2.4 million impairment  provision during the first six months of
1997, as compared with a $2.1 million  impairment  recovery during the first six
months of 1996.  The  Company's  earnings for the six months ended June 30, 1997
and 1996 included  $0.85 and $0.52 per share  respectively,  of gains related to
the sale of pre-1995 servicing, which has substantially no accounting basis (see
discussion of "Servicing Rights").

         The aggregate  principal amount of loan  originations for the first six
months of 1997 was $4.4 billion, an 11% decrease,  as compared with $4.9 billion
for the first six months of 1996. This decrease in production  volume was caused
by a $611 million decrease in wholesale fundings. Wholesale fundings dropped due
to  continued  severe price  competition  within this channel as well as a lower
level of refinancings.

         The following table summarizes the activity in the Company's  servicing
portfolio for the first six months of 1997:

                                                     Six Months Ended June 30,
                                                     1997                 1996
                                                     ----                 ----
                                                       (Dollars in millions,
                                                     except Average Loan Size)

  Servicing Portfolio:
        Beginning Portfolio.................   $    13,293        $    14,109
          Add:
              Loans Originated..............         4,401              4,942
          Deduct:
              Sales of Servicing Rights.....        (3,747)           (4,133)
              Other Transfers...............          (160)                (8)
              Run-off (1)...................        (1,059)            (1,074)
                                                    ------              -----
          Ending Portfolio..................   $    12,728        $     13,836
                                                    ======              ======

_____________
(1)  Run-off  refers to  regular  dollar  amount of the  amortization  of loans,
prepayments and  foreclosures.  For the first six months of 1997, the annualized
run-off rate was 16% compared with 15% for the first six months of 1996.

         Revenues - Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 1997, were $166.3
million,  a $19.2 million,  or 13%,  increase as compared with $147.1 million in
the first six months of 1996.

         Loan administration fees were $23.2 million during the first six months
of 1997, a 2% decrease,  as compared  with $23.7 million in the first six months
of 1996. This decrease occurred in spite of an 8% decline in the average size of
the Company-owned  servicing  portfolio,  partially offset by an increase in the
weighted average servicing fee collected on loans serviced.

         Loan origination fees were $45.0 million during the first six months of
1997, a 10% increase,  as compared with $40.9 million in the first six months of
1996. This increase occurred in spite of the 11% lower origination level, due to
a  higher  percentage  of  retail  originations  and the  addition  of  subprime
originations,

                                       13


<PAGE>
both of which produce higher  origination fees. In the first six months of 1997,
42% of origination  volume came from retail  sources,  as compared to 35% during
the first six months of 1996.

         The gain from sales of loans was $56.2 million for the first six months
of 1997,  as compared  with $49.0  million  during the first six months of 1996.
Gain from sales of loans is impacted by hedging activity,  price subsidies,  and
the recognition of Capitalized Loan Servicing Rights under FAS No. 125. In 1997,
gain from sales of loans was affected by the above factors, but also by the gain
on sale of subprime loans, which is a new product offered by the Company.

         A summary  of these  items  for the  first six  months of 1997 and 1996
follows:

                                                  Six Months Ended June 30,
                                                    1997               1996
                                                    ----               ----
                                                    (Dollars in millions)


   Hedging Gains (Losses) ....................   $    8.4           $    (0.3)
   Pricing Subsidies..........................      (14.4)              (17.7)

   Capitalized Loan Servicing Rights..........       57.8                67.0

   Gain on Sale of Subprime Loans.............        4.4                  --
                                                      ---                    
                                                   

                                                 $   56.2           $    49.0
                                                 ========           =========
                                                   

         During the first six months of 1997, hedging results benefited from low
bond market  volatility.  As a result,  the Company's  hedging results  produced
strong gains of 19 basis points on  originations in the first six months of 1997
compared to a loss of 1 basis point on  originations  in the first six months of
1996.  To the extent  that there is a  significant  change in the  direction  of
interest rates or an increase in bond market  volatility,  the Company's  future
hedging results may be negatively affected.

         Pricing  subsidies  decreased  to $14.4  million  during  the first six
months of 1997,  or an  average  subsidy of 33 basis  points on loans  produced,
compared to $17.7  million in the first six months of 1996,  or 36 basis points.
The  decrease   primarily  was  due  to  the  increased   percentage  of  retail
originations,  which have a much lower price subsidy. The overall level of price
subsidy  remained  high,  reflecting  the  continuing  price  competition in the
industry,  particularly  on loans  originated  through  the  wholesale  channel.
Capitalized Loan Servicing gains decreased to $57.8 million during the first six
months of 1997,  as compared with $67.0 million in the first six months of 1996,
as a result of a decrease in the principal  balance of loans sold.  Gain on sale
of  subprime  loans was $4.4  million or 364 basis  points on the sale of $122.3
million of subprime loans, during the first six months of 1997.

         Interest income, net of warehouse  interest expense,  was $13.8 million
during the first six months of 1997,  as  compared to $13.6  million  during the
first six months of 1996. In the first six months of 1997,  the average  balance
of loans held for sale  increased  by 12%,  which had the  effect of  increasing
interest income. The effect of this increase was offset by a decrease in working
capital used by the Company to reduce its warehouse borrowing cost.

         Gain from sales of  servicing  was $21.6  million  during the first six
months of 1997,  as  compared  to $15.5  million  during the first six months of
1996, a 39% increase. In the first six months of 1997, the

                                       14

<PAGE>
Company sold $3.7 billion (or 85% of originations) of servicing rights, compared
with the sale of $4.1 billion (or 84% of  originations)  in the first six months
of 1996.

         As  previously   discussed  under  "Servicing  Rights,"  the  Company's
servicing originated before 1995 had virtually no accounting basis.  Included in
the gain on servicing sold for the first six months of 1997 was $20.1 million of
gain on the sale of  pre-1995  originated  servicing  rights  (on  $1.8  billion
principal balance sold), as compared to a gain of $12.6 million (on $1.1 billion
principal balance sold) in the first six months of 1996.

         Other income was $6.5 million  during the first  quarter of 1997, a 46%
increase  from $4.4 million for the first six months of 1996.  This increase was
largely due to a $1.6 million increase in insurance  commission  revenues earned
by the Company's  insurance agency  subsidiary which purchased certain assets of
Lomas Insurance Services during the fourth quarter of 1996.


         Expenses  -  Expenses  for the  first six  months  of 1996 were  $142.3
million,  an 18% increase,  as compared to $120.2  million  during the first six
months of 1996.

         Personnel  costs were $80.8 million for the first six months of 1997, a
10%  increase,  as compared with $73.6 million for the first six months of 1996.
This increase,  which is in line with the 10% increase in loan origination fees,
relates to the Company's expanded retail  distribution  network.  The expansion,
which was largely completed by the end of 1996, included the addition of 172 new
retail loan officers.

         Other operating  expenses  increased 17% to $40.9 million for the first
six months of 1997 from  $35.0  million  for the first six months of 1996.  This
increase  primarily was related to the retail  expansion,  for which the Company
added 44 new production locations during 1996.

         Amortization of originated loan servicing  increased to $8.6 million in
the first six months of 1997,  as compared to $5.3 million  during the first six
months of 1996. This increase was primarily  attributable to the higher carrying
value of the asset during the first six months of 1997.

         Impairment of  capitalized  loan  servicing was $2.4 million during the
first six months of 1997,  as  compared  to a  recovery  of  impairment  of $2.1
million in the first six months of 1996. This resulted from a declining interest
rate environment  during the second quarter of 1997, as compared with the upward
turn in rates which occurred during the first six months of 1996. Interest rates
affect the prepayment  speeds,  which impact the value of the  capitalized  loan
servicing asset.



LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

         The Company's cash flow requirements primarily depend on both the level
and cost of its originations, the level of its servicing sales and the cash flow
generated by, or required by, its other operating activities.  Additionally, the
Company  may use or provide  cash  through  its  investing  and other  financing
activities.

         Liquidity  Sources - The  Company's  loan  originations  are  primarily
financed through warehouse  borrowings,  commercial paper  borrowings,  and with
corporate funds. This financing  requirement  begins at the time of loan closing
and extends for an average of  approximately 30 days until the loan is sold into
the  secondary  market.  On January 23,  1996,  the Company  entered  into a new
warehouse line of credit

                                       15

<PAGE>
facility which will expire on January 23, 1999. The outstanding commitment under
this  facility  was $1.0  billion at June 30,  1997.  The  Company's  management
expects, although there can be no assurance, that this facility will continue to
be available in the future.

         The Company also has a commercial paper program.  Borrowings under this
$750 million program replace,  at a reduced interest rate,  borrowings under the
Company's  warehouse  line of credit.  The warehouse  line of credit acts as the
liquidity backup facility for the commercial paper borrowings.

         At times,  the Company will  accelerate  the sale of its mortgage  loan
inventory  through the use of "gestation"  facilities  provided by an investment
bank and the Federal National Mortgage Association.

         The Company's  corporate funds are generally  invested in its inventory
of mortgage  loans held for sale.  The level of funds  available  to support its
inventory  has  decreased  since 1995 because of the cash used for investing and
other financial activities detailed below.

         In October 1993,  the Company  implemented  a $250 million  Medium Term
Note (MTN)  program.  Since 1993,  $126 million in MTNs have been issued and $76
million remain outstanding at June 30, 1997.


INVESTING AND OTHER FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

         Common Stock Repurchases - On February 7, 1996, the Company  authorized
the  repurchase of up to 1.5 million  shares of Common  Stock.  Through June 30,
1997, the Company had repurchased  1,292,500 shares under this  authorization at
an  aggregate  cost of $23.5  million.  As of June 30,  1997,  the Company  held
2,433,016  shares in treasury  stock,  which have been acquired since 1994 under
the current and prior  repurchase  authorizations  at an aggregate cost of $42.7
million.  The Company  repurchased  75,000 shares at a cost of $1,366,000 during
the second quarter of 1997.

         Dividends - The Company has paid quarterly Common Stock dividends since
the initial public offering on July 15, 1992. Dividend payments totaled $839,000
in the second  quarter of 1997 and  $845,000 in the second  quarter of 1996.  In
July 1997, the Company's board of directors  approved a Common Stock dividend of
$.06 per share.

         Property, Plant and Equipment - During the first six months of 1997 and
1996,  the Company  purchased  property and equipment  totaling $4.3 million and
$4.1 million, respectively.

                                       16

<PAGE>
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.           Legal Proceedings.

                  The Registrant is a defendant in certain litigation arising in
                  the  normal  course of its  business.  Although  the  ultimate
                  outcome  of  all  pending   litigation   cannot  be  precisely
                  determined  at  this  time,  the  Registrant  believes  that  
                  any liability  resulting from the aggregate  amount of damages
                  for  outstanding  lawsuits  and  claims  will not  have a  
                  material adverse effect on its financial position.

Item 2.           Changes in Securities.

                  The  Registrant  and The Bank of New York  have  executed  and
                  delivered an Amendment to Shareholder  Rights  Agreement dated
                  as of June 22, 1997, to the Shareholder Rights Agreement ("the
                  NAMC  Rights   Agreement")   that  provides  that,  until  the
                  termination  of that certain Plan of Merger,  dated as of June
                  22, 1997,  by and among the  Registrant,  Dime  Bancorp,  Inc.
                  ("Dime")  and the Dime  Savings  Bank  New  York FSB  ("Merger
                  Agreement")  neither  Dime nor any  affiliate  or associate of
                  Dime  shall  be  deemed  to be  an  "Acquiring  Person"  or an
                  "Adverse  Person" under the NAMC Rights  Agreement as a result
                  of their acquisition of beneficial  ownership of shares of the
                  Registrant's Common Stock by reason of the Merger Agreement or
                  by  reason  of the  consummation  of  any of the  transactions
                  contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

Item 3.           Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

                  None.


Item 4.           Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

                  a.        The Registrant held its Annual Meeting of 
                            Stockholders on May 28, 1997.

                  b.        Not applicable.

                  c.        i.      The following individuals were elected to 
                                    the Board of Directors of the Registrant:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            Votes For    Votes Withheld

                                   <S>                     <C>            <C>    
                                    John F. Farrell, Jr.    12,701,025     371,140
                                    Terrance G. Hodel       12,620,760     451,405
                                    William L. Brown        12,703,327     368,838
                                    William F. Connell      12,703,968     368,197
                                    Magna L. Dodge          12,704,568     367,597
                                    William O. Murphy       12,704,770     367,395
                                    Robert J. Murray        12,703,968     368,197
                                    James B. Nicholson      12,623,137     449,028

</TABLE>

                                       17

<PAGE>

                ii.  Other  matters  voted upon at the meeting and the number of
                     votes cast for, against and to abstain with respect to each
                     such matter appear below. There were no broker non-votes.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                Votes            Votes         Votes to
                                                                 For            Against        Abstain

                    <S>                                       <C>             <C>                <C>   
                     A.    Proposal to amend the               12,385,621        609,907          76,637
                           Employee Stock Purchase Plan

                     B.    Proposal to amend the               10,559,025      2,429,895          83,245
                           Incentive Stock Option Plan

                     C.    Ratification of the                 13,023,319         22,945          25,901
                           appointment of Ernst &
                           Young, LLP as independent
                           public accountants for the
                           fiscal year ending
                           December 31, 1997
</TABLE>

              d.     Not applicable.

Item 5.              Other Information.

              None.



                                       18


<PAGE>
                   Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.

              a.    Exhibits

                     4        Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement

                    10.46     Annual Executive Bonus Plan

                    10.47     Agreement and Plan of Combination dated as of
                              June 22, 1997 by and among North American Mortgage
                              Company, Dime Bancorp, Inc., The Dime Savings Bank
                              New York, FSB, and 47th St. Property Corporation,
                              as amended and restated as of July 31, 1997

                    11        Statement re Computation of Per Share Earnings

                    27        Financial Data Schedule


              b.    Reports on Form 8-K

                    On June 24, 1997, the  Registrant  filed with the Commission
                    Current Report on Form 8-K, with a copy of the  Registrant's
                    press release dated June 23, 1997,  describing the execution
                    of a definitive  agreement  between the  Registrant and Dime
                    Bancorp,   Inc.  for  Dime  Bancorp,  Inc.  to  acquire  the
                    Registrant.



                                       19

<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this  report to be signed by the  undersigned
thereunto duly authorized.





                                           NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY


August 13, 1997                            By:  /s/ MARTIN S. HUGHES
                                               -------------------------------
                                                    (Martin S. Hughes)
                                                 Executive Vice President,
                                               Chief Financial Officer and
                                               Principal Financial Officer



                                       20

<PAGE>

INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit
Number       Description                                           Page Number
- ------       -----------                                           -----------

4            Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement

10.46        Annual Executive Bonus Plan

10.47        Agreement and Plan of Combination  dated as of June 22, 1997 by and
             among North American Mortgage Company, Dime Bancorp, Inc., The Dime
             Savings Bank New York, FSB, and 47th St. Property  Corporation,  as
             amended and restated as of July 31, 1997

11           Statement re Computation of Per Share Earnings

27           Financial Data Schedule


                                       21


                    Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement


                  AMENDMENT, dated as of June 22, 1997 (the "Amendment"), to the
Shareholder  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of October 19, 1992 (as  amended,  the
"Rights  Agreement"),  between  North  American  Mortgage  Company,  a  Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  and The Bank of New  York,  a New  York  banking
corporation, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                                   WITNESSETH

                  WHEREAS,  on October 19,  1992,  the Board of Directors of the
Company  authorized and declared a dividend  distribution  of one Right for each
share of Common Stock  outstanding  at the close of business on the Record Date,
each Right  representing  the right to purchase one  one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Rights Agreement;
and

                  WHEREAS,  the Rights  remain  issued and  outstanding  and the
Rights Agreement remains in effect with respect thereto; and

                  WHEREAS, no Distribution Date has occurred; and

                  WHEREAS,  the  Company  and Dime  Bancorp,  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation  ("Dime"),  and The Dime  Savings  Bank of New York,  FSB, a federal
savings  bank  (the  "Bank"),  have  entered  into  an  Agreement  and  Plan  of
Combination  (the  "Combination  Agreement"),  pursuant  to which the Bank would
acquire  the assets and assume the  liabilities  of the  Company  (or assign the
right to acquire such assets and assume such liabilities to a corporation wholly
owned and controlled by the Bank); and

                  WHEREAS,   in  connection  with  the   anticipated   approval,
execution,  and delivery of the Combination Agreement, the Board of Directors of
the Company  has  approved  this  Amendment  and has  directed  the  appropriate
officers  of the  Company to take all  appropriate  steps to execute and deliver
this Amendment.

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration of the premises and mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:


(1)      Amendment to Section 1(a)

                  The first paragraph of Section 1(a) of the Rights Agreement is
hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:

                           "(a) 'Acquiring  Person' shall mean any person who or
                  which,  together with all Affiliates (as hereinafter  defined)
                  and Associates (as hereinafter  defined) of such Person, shall
                  be the  Beneficial  Owner (as  hereinafter  defined) of 15% or
                  more of the shares of Common Stock,  but shall not include (i)
                  the Company, (ii) any

<PAGE>
                                               2

                  Subsidiary  (as  such  term  is  hereinafter  defined)  of the
                  Company,  (iii)  any  employee  benefit  plan or  compensation
                  arrangement  of the Company or any  Subsidiary of the Company,
                  (iv) any  Person  holding  shares of Common  Stock  organized,
                  appointed or  established  by the Company or any Subsidiary of
                  the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such  employee
                  benefit  plan or  compensation  arrangement;  or (v) until the
                  termination of the  Combination  Agreement in accordance  with
                  its terms,  Dime,  or any Affiliate or Associate of Dime, as a
                  result of their acquisition of Beneficial  Ownership of shares
                  of  Common  Stock by  reason of the  approval,  execution,  or
                  delivery  of the  Combination  Agreement,  or by reason of the
                  consummation   of   any   transaction   contemplated   by  the
                  Combination  Agreement,  so long as Dime,  or any Affiliate or
                  Associate of Dime, is not the  Beneficial  Owner of any shares
                  of Common Stock other than (w) shares of Common Stock of which
                  Dime, or any Affiliate or Associate of Dime, is or becomes the
                  Beneficial  Owner by reason  of the  approval,  execution,  or
                  delivery  of the  Combination  Agreement,  or by reason of the
                  consummation   of   any   transaction   contemplated   by  the
                  Combination Agreement, (x) shares of Common Stock Beneficially
                  Owned by Dime,  or any  Affiliate or Associate of Dime, on the
                  date hereof,  (y) shares of Common Stock of which Dime, or any
                  Affiliate  or  Associate  of Dime,  inadvertently  becomes the
                  Beneficial  Owner  after the date  hereof,  provided  that the
                  number of such  shares of Common  Stock does not exceed 1/2 of
                  1% of the  shares  of  Common  Stock  outstanding  on the date
                  hereof and that Dime,  or any  Affiliate or Associate of Dime,
                  as the case may be,  divests  such  shares of Common  Stock as
                  soon as practicable after it becomes aware of such acquisition
                  of  Beneficial  Ownership,  and (z)  shares  of  Common  Stock
                  Beneficially Owned or otherwise held by Dime, or any Affiliate
                  or Associate of Dime, in fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction
                  of debts  previously  contracted  in good faith  (the  Persons
                  described  in clauses (i)  through  (v) above are  referred to
                  herein as "Exempt Persons")."

                  (2)      Amendment to Section 1(b)

                  Section 1(b) of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended to read
                  in its entirety as follows:

                           "(b) 'Adverse  Person' shall mean any Person declared
                  to be an  Adverse  Person  by the  Board of  Directors  upon a
                  determination  of the Board of Directors that the criteria set
                  forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person,  provided,
                  however,  that the Board of Directors  shall not declare Dime,
                  or any Affiliate or Associate of Dime, to be an Adverse Person
                  (i)  as  a  result  of  the   Combination   Agreement,   their
                  acquisition of Beneficial  Ownership of shares of Common Stock
                  by reason of the  Combination  Agreement,  or by reason of the
                  consummation   of   any   transaction   contemplated   by  the
                  Combination Agreement or (ii) unless the Combination Agreement
                  has been terminated in accordance with its terms."


<PAGE>
                                          3

                  (3)      Addition of Section 1(z).

                  A new Section 1(z) of the Rights Agreement is inserted, to 
                  read in its entirety as follows:

                           "(z) 'Dime' shall mean Dime Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
                  corporation, and its successors."

                  (4)      Addition of Section 1(aa).

                  A new Section 1(aa) of the Rights Agreement is inserted, to 
                  read in its entirety as follows:

                           "(aa)   'Combination   Agreement'   shall   mean  the
                  Agreement and Plan Combination,  dated as of June 22, 1997, by
                  and among the Company,  Dime, and The Dime Savings Bank of New
                  York,  FSB, a federal savings bank, as the same may be amended
                  from time to time."

                  (5)      Amendment of Section 7(a).   The first sentence of 
                  Section 7(a) of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended to read
                  in its entirety as follows:

                           "(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof,  the  registered
                  holder of any  Rights  Certificate  may  exercise  the  Rights
                  evidenced  thereby  (except as otherwise  provided  herein) in
                  whole or in part at any time after the Distribution  Date upon
                  surrender of the Right Certificate,  with the form of election
                  to purchase  and the  certificate  on the reverse side thereof
                  duly executed, along with a signature guarantee and such other
                  and further  documentation  as the Rights Agent may reasonably
                  request,  to the Rights  Agent at the office or offices of the
                  Rights  Agent  designated  for  such  purpose,  together  with
                  payment of the aggregate  Exercise  Price for the total number
                  of one  one-hundredth  of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
                  securities,  cash or other  assets,  as the case may be) as to
                  which such surrendered Rights are then exercised,  at or prior
                  to the earlier of (i) the close of  business  on December  31,
                  2002 (the 'Final Expiration date'), (ii) the time at which the
                  Rights are  redeemed as  provided in Section 23 hereof,  (iii)
                  the time at which such  Rights are  exchanged  as  provided in
                  Section 24 hereof or (iv) the  effective  time of the business
                  combination  provided for in the  Combination  Agreement  (the
                  earlier if (i), (ii),  (iii) or (iv) being herein  referred to
                  as the 'Expiration Date')."

                  (6)  Effectiveness.  This  Amendment  shall be deemed to be in
force and  effective  immediately  prior to the  execution  and  delivery of the
Combination  Agreement.  Except as amended  hereby,  the Rights  Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect and shall be otherwise unaffected hereby.

                  (7)      Defined Terms.  Unless otherwise defined herein, all 
capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings
assigned them in the Rights Agreement.

<PAGE>
                                         4

                  (8)  Governing  Law.  This  Amendment  shall be deemed to be a
contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall
be  governed  by and  construed  in  accordance  with  the  laws of  such  State
applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.

                  (9) Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number
of counterparts,  each of which shall for all purposes be deemed an original and
all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this
Amendment to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY

By: /s/MARTIN S. HUGHES
- -----------------------
Name: Martin S. Hughes
Title: Executive Vice President


BANK OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent

By: /s/JAMES N. DIMINO
- ----------------------
Name: James N. Dimino
Title: Assistant Vice President

                                                                   Exhibit 10.46
                             NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE
                           Annual Executive Bonus Plan


         This document sets forth the North American  Mortgage Annual  Executive
Bonus Plan (the "Plan"),  as authorized by the Board of Directors  (the "Board")
of North  American  Mortgage  (the  "Company"),  for the  payment  of  incentive
compensation to designated employees of the Company.

1.       Definitions

         As used in the Plan, the following terms have the following meanings:

         "Awards"  shall mean  amounts  earned and  payable to  Participants  as
         determined in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.

         "Budget" shall mean the Company's  annual  financial budget as approved
         by the Board.

         "Change of Control"  shall mean an event  affecting  the Company  which
         shall be deemed to have taken place upon (i) the acquisition by a third
         person,  including  a "group" as defined  in  Section  13(d)(3)  of the
         Exchange Act, of shares of the Company  having 15% or more of the total
         number of votes that may be cast for the  election of  Directors of the
         Company,   (ii)  shareholders'   approval  of  a  transaction  for  the
         acquisition  of the Company,  or  substantially  all of its assets,  by
         another entity or for a merger, reorganization,  consolidation or other
         business  combination  to which  the  Company  is a party or (iii)  the
         election  during  any period of 24 months or less of 50% or more of the
         Directors  of the  Company  where  such  Directors  were not in  office
         immediately prior to such period.

         "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         "Committee" shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board.

         "Exchange  Act"  shall mean the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as
         amended.

         "Net  Income  before   Taxes"  shall  mean  earnings  from   continuing
          operations before income taxes.

         "Outside  Directors"  shall have the meaning  ascribed to it in Section
         162(m) of the Code and the regulations proposed or adopted thereunder.

         "Participant"  shall mean any eligible  employee  for whom  performance
         objectives have been established for any given Valuation Period.

         "Strategic Goals" shall mean objectives of individual  Participants and
         the Company as determined by the Committee.


                                        1

<PAGE>
         "Target  Pool" shall mean the bonus pool  established  by the Committee
         based on the Net Income  before  Taxes  contained in the Budget and the
         achievement of Strategic Goals.

         "Valuation  Period"  shall  mean  each  calendar  year of the  Company,
         commencing  with the  calendar  year ending  December 31, 1997 and each
         succeeding  calendar year. The last  Valuation  Period shall  terminate
         upon a Change in Control of the Company.

2.       Objectives

         The objectives of the Plan are to:

         o    Help attract, retain and motivate the senior executives required
              to manage the Company;

         o    Reward executives for successful execution of Strategic Goals that
              drive future value creation; and

         o    Promote the achievement of rigorous but realistic financial goals.

3.       Administration

         The Plan will be  administered  by the Committee.  The Committee  shall
         contain only Outside  Directors  provided that in the event the Company
         has less than two outside  Directors,  the Committee may be constituted
         of only one Outside Director. In its sole and absolute discretion,  the
         Committee  will have full authority to interpret the Plan, to establish
         and amend rules and regulations  relating to it, to determine the terms
         and provisions  for making awards and to make all other  determinations
         necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

4.       Participation

         Participation  in the Plan in any  Valuation  Period will be limited to
         individuals  who on the last day of the  Valuation  Period  are (a) the
         Chief  Executive  Officer  of the  Company  (or  person  acting in such
         capacity),  (b) the Chief  Operating  Officer of the Company (or person
         acting in such  capacity),  (c) the  Executive  Vice  President,  Chief
         Financial  Officer  (or  person  acting  in  such  capacity),  (d)  the
         Executive Vice President,  Strategic Planning (or person acting in such
         capacity),  (e) the  Executive  Vice  President,  Servicing  (or person
         acting in such capacity), (f) Executive Vice President,  Production (or
         person  acting in such  capacity),  (g) the Executive  Vice  President,
         Technology/Human  Resources (or person acting in such capacity), or (h)
         the Executive  Vice  President,  Secondary  Marketing/Underwriting  (or
         person  acting  in such  capacity).  If an  additional  Executive  Vice
         President is employed during the Valuation Period, that person shall be
         a Participant in the Plan as determined by the Committee.


                                        2

<PAGE>

5.       Incentive Awards

         Awards to  Participants  under the Plan are cash  awards  which will be
         paid if, and to the extent  that,  targets for Net Income  before Taxes
         and Strategic Goals are achieved for the Valuation  Period in question.
         The amount,  if any, of the awards actually paid shall be determined as
         follows:

         (a) Target Pool Amounts.  No later than 90 days after the  commencement
         of the Valuation Period for which the amount is awarded, the Committee,
         with the advice of the Chief  Executive  Officer,  shall  determine the
         Target Pool which  Participants  in the Plan may receive if the various
         targets for Net Income  before Taxes and  Strategic  Goals set for such
         awards are achieved.  The individual  awards shall be determined by the
         Committee, with the advice of the Chief Executive Officer, based on the
         Participant's experience and value to the Company and will be expressed
         as  a  percentage  of  the  average  base  salary  of  the   respective
         Participant  for the  Valuation  Period in  question.  All  awards  are
         subject to the  Committee's  discretion.  In no event shall the maximum
         amount payable to Participants  hereunder exceed 200% of the sum of the
         Participants' target awards.

         (b) Goals.  The  Committee  shall  establish the targets for Net Income
         before  Taxes  and  Strategic  Goals,  the  achievement  of which  will
         determine whether,  and the extent to which,  target award amounts will
         be  paid.  In  addition,   the  Committee  may  make  any   appropriate
         adjustments to targets for Net Income before Taxes and Strategic  Goals
         and the Target Pool  amounts each  Valuation  Period.  The  performance
         measure for Participants shall be based 75% on the Company's attainment
         of the target Net Income before Taxes, and 25% on the Company's and the
         individual Participant's attainment of the target Strategic Goals.

         (c) Award Payments.  The amount,  if any, of the Target Pool to be paid
         to a  Participant  shall depend on attainment of targets for Net Income
         before Taxes and Strategic Goals determined by comparing actual results
         for  the  Valuation  Period  in  question  with  the  applicable  goals
         established for that year. As to each performance  measure,  attainment
         of the percentage of the goal set forth in the first column below shall
         result in payment  of the  percentage  set forth in the  second  column
         below of the target award:

         NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES

                  Actual Results                        Portion of Target Award
                  --------------                        -----------------------

                   less than 70% of target                         0%
                   70% of target                                   70% x .55
                   80% of target                                   80% x .70
                   90% of target                                   90% x .85

                  100% of target                                  100%
                  120% of target                                  120%



                                        3
<PAGE>

          STRATEGIC GOALS

                 Actual Results                        Portion of Target Award
                 --------------                        -----------------------

                 80% of target                                   80%
                 100% of target                                  100%


         If the  percentage  of any  performance  goal  attained  is between the
         percentages set forth in the above first column, the related percentage
         in the second column which determines the award amount to be paid shall
         be scaled accordingly. If actual results are less than the minimum goal
         for the  performance  measure  for Net  Income  Before  Taxes set forth
         above, no cash payment shall be made.

6.       Time and Form of Payment

         Award payments to which Participants become entitled as provided herein
         will be paid in cash as soon as  practicable  after  the  close  of the
         Valuation Period in question but in no event will payment be made later
         than 60 days after the date of the opinion of the Company's independent
         auditors  certifying the Company's  financial results for the Valuation
         Period in question.

7.       Death, Disability, Retirement and Termination of Employment.

         (a) Unless  otherwise  determined by the  Committee,  in the event of a
         Participant's  termination of employment by reason of death, disability
         or  retirement  under a  Company  retirement  plan  during a  Valuation
         Period,  the  Participant  (or his or her  beneficiary)  shall receive,
         after  the end of the  Valuation  Period,  a  prorated  portion  of the
         performance  bonus to which the  Participant  would otherwise have been
         entitled hereunder.  Such prorated portion shall bear the same ratio to
         the total award  payment as the number of full months such  Participant
         was actually employed during the Valuation Period bears to twelve.

         (b) Unless  otherwise  determined by the Committee,  a Participant  who
         voluntarily  terminates  his  employment  prior to the end of Valuation
         Period or a Participant whose employment is terminated for cause at any
         time prior to payment of any award hereunder shall forfeit any right to
         receive any then unpaid award payment.

8.       Miscellaneous

         (a)      Amendment and  Termination of the Plan. The Committee with the
                  approval of the Board may amend, modify or terminate this Plan
                  at any  time  and  from  time  to  time.  Notwithstanding  the
                  foregoing,  no such  amendment,  modification  or  termination
                  shall affect payment of a bonus for a Valuation Period already
                  ended.

         (b)      No Assignment. Except as otherwise required by applicable law,
                  no  interest,   benefit,   payment,  claim  or  right  of  any
                  Participant under the Plan shall be subject

                                        4

<PAGE>
                  in any manner to any claims of any creditor of any Participant
                  or  beneficiary,  nor to  alienation  by  anticipation,  sale,
                  transfer,  assignment,  bankruptcy, pledge, attachment, charge
                  or  encumbrance  of any kind, and any attempt to take any such
                  action shall be null and void.

         (c)      No Rights to  Employment or Awards.  Nothing  contained in the
                  Plan shall give any  person  the right to be  retained  in the
                  employment  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its  affiliates  or
                  associated  corporations  or  affect  the  right  of any  such
                  employer to dismiss any employee, nor shall anything contained
                  herein  give any  employee  any  claim or right to be  granted
                  under the Plan.

         (d)      Withholding.  The Company  shall have the right to deduct from
                  all  awards  paid under the Plan any  federal,  state or local
                  taxes or other  amounts  required by law to be  withheld  with
                  respect to such payments.

         (e)      Plan Unfunded. The entire cost of this Plan shall be paid from
                  the general assets of the Company. The rights of any person to
                  receive  benefits  under  the Plan  shall  be only  those of a
                  general unsecured creditor, and neither the Company, the Board
                  nor the Committee shall be responsible for the adequacy of the
                  general  assets  of the  Company  to meet and  discharge  Plan
                  liabilities  nor shall the  Company be  required to reserve or
                  otherwise  set aside funds for the payment of its  obligations
                  hereunder.

         (f)     Corporate Transactions.  In determining Net Income before Taxes
                 and  Strategic  Goals,  the  operations of any  corporation  or
                 business acquired during the Valuation Period in question along
                 with any income or expense relating to such  acquisitions  will
                 be  excluded.  In the  case  of  any  corporation  or  business
                 divested  during the Valuation  Period in question,  Net Income
                 before  Taxes and  Strategic  Goals will be restated to exclude
                 the operations of the corporation or business  divested for the
                 entire fiscal year in question along with any income or expense
                 relating to divestiture.

         (g)     Change of  Control.  In the event of a Change of  Control,  the
                 current  Valuation Period shall  immediately  terminate and all
                 Awards for such pro rata Valuation  Period shall become payable
                 as of the  date of the  Change  of  Control,  in such  pro rata
                 amounts as are determined for each Participant by the Committee
                 prior to the Change of Control.  All amounts  determined by the
                 Committee prior to the Change of Control to be due with respect
                 to the current  Valuation  Period shall be paid out in one lump
                 sum on the  same  date as the  Company  or the  holders  of the
                 outstanding  stock of the Company receive payment in connection
                 with the Change of Control.  For  purposes of  determining  the
                 amount of the Awards payable in respect of the Valuation Period
                 ending  upon the Change of  Control,  the target for Net Income
                 before  Taxes  shall be  prorated  in the same  ratio  that the
                 number of months in the Valuation  Period completed by the date
                 of the Change of Control  bears to  twelve.  The  Participant's
                 individual  award  shall be based on the  extent  to which  the
                 Company has attained the prorated  target for Net Income before
                 Taxes in the

                                        5

<PAGE>
                  Valuation  Period  completed  by the  date  of the  Change  of
                  Control.  In addition,  Participants shall immediately vest in
                  all then unpaid Awards with respect to prior Valuation Periods
                  and all unpaid  installments shall be paid out in one lump sum
                  on  the  same  date  as the  Company  or  the  holders  of the
                  outstanding stock of the Company receive payment in connection
                  with the Change of Control.

9.       Effective Date

         This Plan shall be effective as of June 21, 1997.

                                        6

                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.47
                        AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF COMBINATION

                            dated as of June 22, 1997

                                  by and among

                         NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE COMPANY

                               DIME BANCORP, INC.

                     THE DIME SAVINGS BANK OF NEW YORK, FSB

                                       and

                          47TH ST. PROPERTY CORPORATION

                                 --------------

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED

                                      as of

                                  July 31, 1997
                                 --------------

<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                           Page

RECITALS.....................................................................1

ARTICLE I

Certain Definitions; Interpretation..........................................1
     1.01     Certain Definitions............................................1
     1.02     Interpretation.................................................10

ARTICLE II

The Merger...................................................................10
     2.01     The Merger.....................................................10
     2.02     Reservation of Right to Revise Structure.......................11
     2.03     Effective Time.................................................11

ARTICLE III

Consideration................................................................11
     3.01     Consideration..................................................11
     3.02     Rights as Stockholders; Stock Transfers........................12
     3.03     Fractional Shares..............................................12
     3.04     Exchange Procedures............................................12
     3.05     Anti-Dilution Provisions.......................................14
     3.06     Options........................................................14

ARTICLE IV

Actions Pending the Merger...................................................16
     4.01     Forbearances of the Company....................................16
     4.02     Forbearances of the Acquiror...................................19
     4.03.    Coordination of Dividends......................................20

ARTICLE V

Representations and Warranties...............................................20
     5.01     Disclosure Schedules...........................................20
     5.02     Standard.......................................................20
     5.03     Representations and Warranties of the Company..................20
     5.04     Representations and Warranties of the Acquiror.................37



                                       -i-

<PAGE>

ARTICLE VI

Covenants....................................................................43
     6.01     Reasonable Best Efforts........................................43
     6.02     Stockholder Approvals..........................................43
     6.03     Registration Statement.........................................43
     6.04     Press Releases.................................................44
     6.05     Access; Information............................................44
     6.06     Acquisition Proposals..........................................45
     6.07     Affiliate Agreements...........................................46
     6.08     Takeover Laws..................................................46
     6.09     No Rights Triggered............................................46
     6.10     Rights Agreement...............................................46
     6.11     NYSE Listing...................................................47
     6.12     Regulatory Applications........................................47
     6.13     Indemnification................................................47
     6.14     Benefit Plans..................................................49
     6.15     Accountants' Letters...........................................50
     6.16     Notification of Certain Matters................................50
     6.17     Certain Policies of the Company................................50
     6.18     Employee Benefits..............................................51
     6.19     Certain Payments at Effective Time.............................51
     6.20     Certain Employee Agreements....................................52

ARTICLE VII

Conditions to Consummation of the Merger.....................................52
     7.01     Conditions to Each Party's Obligation to Effect the ...........52
     7.02     Conditions to Obligation of the Company........................53
     7.03     Conditions to Obligation of the Acquiror.......................54

ARTICLE VIII

Termination..................................................................55
     8.01     Termination....................................................55
     8.02     Effect of Termination and Abandonment..........................57
     8.03     Termination Fee................................................57


                                      -ii-

<PAGE>

ARTICLE IX

Miscellaneous................................................................59
     9.01     Survival.......................................................59
     9.02     Waiver; Amendment..............................................60
     9.03     Counterparts...................................................60
     9.04     Governing Law..................................................60
     9.05     Expenses.......................................................60
     9.06     Notices........................................................60
     9.07     Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries.............61


EXHIBIT A         Form of Amendment to Company Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT B         Form of Company Affiliate Letter



                                      -iii-
<PAGE>

          AGREEMENT  AND PLAN OF  COMBINATION,  dated  as of June  22,  1997 and
amended and restated as of July 31, 1997 (this "Agreement"),  by and among North
American Mortgage Company (the "Company"),  Dime Bancorp, Inc. (the "Acquiror"),
The Dime  Savings  Bank of New York,  FSB (the  "Bank"),  and 47th St.  Property
Corporation ("Merger Sub").

                                    RECITALS

          A. The  Company.  The  Company is a Delaware  corporation,  having its
principal place of business in Santa Rosa, California.

          B . The Acquiror.  The Acquiror is a Delaware corporation,  having its
principal place of business in New York, New York.

          C. The Bank.  The Bank is a federal  savings  bank and a wholly  owned
subsidiary of the Acquiror,  having its principal place of business in New York,
New York.

          D. Merger Sub. Merger Sub is a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Bank.  Merger Sub has engaged in no business  other than as an
incident to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

          E.  Intentions  of the Parties.  It is the intention of the parties to
this Agreement that the business combination contemplated hereby be treated as a
"reorganization"  under  Section 368 of the Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as
amended (the "Code").

          F.  Board  Action.  The  respective  Boards  of  Directors  of each of
Acquiror,  the  Bank  and the  Company  have  determined  that it is in the best
interests of their respective companies and their stockholders to consummate the
business combination transaction provided for in this Agreement.

          NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises,  and of the mutual
covenants,  representations,  warranties and agreements  contained  herein,  the
parties agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

                       Certain Definitions; Interpretation

          1.01  Certain  Definitions.  The  following  terms  are  used  in this
Agreement with the meanings set forth below:

          "Acquiror"  has  the  meaning  set  forth  in  the  preamble  to  this
Agreement.

          "Acquiror  Certificate" means the Amended and Restated  Certificate of
Incorporation of the Acquiror.

                                       -1-

<PAGE>
          "Acquiror  Common Stock" means the common  stock,  par value $0.01 per
share, of the Acquiror.

          "Acquiror Person" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(b).

          "Acquiror  Preferred Stock" means the preferred stock, par value $1.00
per share, of the Acquiror.

          "Acquiror   Rights"  means  the  rights  to  purchase  Acquiror  Stock
outstanding from time to time pursuant to the Acquiror Rights Agreement.

          "Acquiror Rights  Agreement" means the Stockholders  Protection Rights
Agreement,  dated as of October 20,  1995,  between the  Acquiror  and the First
National Bank of Boston, as Rights Agent.

          "Acquiror  Stock" means,  collectively,  the Acquiror Common Stock and
the Acquiror Preferred Stock.

          "Acquiror's  SEC  Documents"  has the  meaning  set  forth in  Section
5.04(g).

          "Acquisition Transaction" means (i) a merger or consolidation,  or any
similar  transaction,  involving the Company or any subsidiary of it (other than
mergers,  consolidations  or similar  transactions  involving solely the Company
and/or one or more wholly-owned  subsidiaries of the Company;  provided that any
such  transaction  is not  entered  into  in  violation  of the  terms  of  this
Agreement),  (ii)  a  purchase,  lease  or  other  acquisition  of  all  or  any
substantial  part of the assets or deposits of the Company or any  subsidiary of
it,  or (iii) a  purchase  or other  acquisition  (including  by way of  merger,
consolidation,  share exchange or otherwise) of securities  representing  15% or
more of the voting power of the Company or any subsidiary of it.

          "Agency" means the HUD, FHA, VA, FNMA,  FHLMC, GNMA or a State Agency,
as applicable.

          "Agreement" means this Agreement,  as amended or modified from time to
time in accordance with Section 9.02.

          "Average  Closing  Price"  means the  average  of the daily  last sale
prices of Acquiror  Common Stock as reported on the NYSE Composite  Transactions
Reporting  System (as  reported in The Wall Street  Journal or, if not  reported
therein,  in another  authoritative  source) for the ten  consecutive  NYSE full
trading  days (in which such shares are traded on the NYSE)  ending at the close
of trading on the Determination Date.


                                       -2-
<PAGE>

          "Bank" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

          "Code" has the meaning set forth in Recital D.

          "Company" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

          "Company Affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.07.

          "Company Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

          "Company  By-Laws"  means the  Amended  and  Restated  By-laws  of the
Company.

          "Company  Certificate"  means the Amended and Restated  Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company.

          "Company Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $0.01
         per share, of the Company.

          "Company  Convertible  Preferred  Stock"  means  the  $0.20  Series  A
Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company.

          "Company Meeting" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.

          "Company  Preferred  Stock" means the preferred stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Company.

          "Company   Rights"   means  the  rights  to  purchase   Company  Stock
outstanding from time to time pursuant to the Company Rights Agreement.

          "Company Rights  Agreement"  means the Shareholder  Rights  Agreement,
dated as of October 19, 1992,  between the Company and The Bank of New York,  as
Rights Agent.

          "Company Stock" means, collectively,  the Company Common Stock and the
Company Preferred Stock.

          "Company  Stock  Option"  means each  outstanding  option to  purchase
shares of Company Common Stock.

          "Company's  SEC  Documents"  has the  meaning  set  forth  in  Section
5.03(g).

          "Compensation and Benefit Plans" has, with respect to any person,  the
meaning set forth in Section 5.03(l).


                                       -3-

<PAGE>

          "Consideration" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.

          "Contract"  means,   with  respect  to  any  person,   any  agreement,
indenture,  undertaking, debt instrument, contract, lease or other commitment to
which such person or any of its  Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them
is bound or to which any of their properties is subject.

          "Costs" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.13(a).

          "Determination  Date"  means the date of receipt of all OTS  approvals
necessary to consummate the Merger.

          "DGCL" means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

          "Disclosure Schedule" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01.

          "DOL" means the United States Department of Labor.

          "Effective Date" means the date on which the Effective Time occurs.

          "Effective  Time" means the date and time at which the Merger  becomes
effective.

          "Environmental   Laws"  means  any   federal,   state  or  local  law,
regulation,  order,  decree,  permit,   authorization,   common  law  or  agency
requirement  with force of law relating to: (a) the protection or restoration of
the environment,  health or safety (in each case as relating to the environment)
or natural resources; or (b) the handling, use, presence,  disposal,  release or
threatened release of any Hazardous Substance.

          "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

          "ERISA  Affiliate"  has,  with respect to any person,  the meaning set
forth in Section 5.03(l).

          "ERISA Affiliate Plan" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(l).

          "Exchange Act" means the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder.

          "Exchange Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04.

          "Exchange Fund" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04.


                                       -4-

<PAGE>

          "FDIC" means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

          "Fee" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(a).

          "Fee Termination Event" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(a).

          "Fee Trigger Event" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(c).

          "FHA" means the Federal Housing Administration.

          "FHLMC" means the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

          "FHMA" means the Farmers' Home Mortgage Administration.

          "FNMA" means the Federal National Mortgage Association.

          "GNMA" means the Government National Mortgage Association.

          "Governmental  Authority"  means any court,  administrative  agency or
commission  or  other  federal,   state  or  local  governmental   authority  or
instrumentality.

          "Hazardous  Substance" means any substance in any  concentration  that
is: (a) listed,  classified or regulated  pursuant to any Environmental Law; (b)
any   petroleum   product   or   by-product,    asbestos-containing    material,
lead-containing  paint  or  plumbing,   polychlorinated  biphenyls,  radioactive
materials or radon; or (c) any other substance which is or may be the subject of
regulatory  action by any Governmental  Authority  pursuant to any Environmental
Law.

          "HSR Act" means the  Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements Act of
1976.

          "HUD"  means  the  United  States  Department  of  Housing  and  Urban
Development.

          "Indemnified Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.13(a).

          "Index  Group" means the group of the eighteen (18)  companies  listed
below, the common stock of all of which shall be publicly traded and as to which
there shall not have been, since the Starting Date and before the  Determination
Date, an announcement of a proposal for the acquisition or sale of such company.
In the event that the common  stock of any such  company  ceases to be  publicly
traded or any such  announcement is made with respect to any such company,  such
company will be removed from the Index Group,  and the weights  (which have been
determined based on market capitalization)


                                       -5-

<PAGE>
redistributed  proportionately  for purposes of determining  the Index Price.  
The eighteen (18)  companies  and the weights  attributed to them are as
follows:


           Company                                   Weighting       Ticker
           -------                                   ---------       ------

           Ahmanson & Company (H.F.)                    14.0           AHM
           Astoria Financial Corporation                 2.8           ASFC
           Bank United Corp.                             3.5           BNKU
           Commercial Federal Corporation                2.4           CFB
           Charter One Financial                         7.1           COFI
           Coast Savings Financial                       2.7           CSA
           Downey Financial Corp.                        1.8           DSL
           Golden West Financial                        12.5           GDW
           Glendale Federal Bank FSB                     4.2           GLN
           GreenPoint Financial Corp.                    9.2           GPT
           Long Island Bancorp Inc.                      2.6           LISB
           New York Bancorp Inc.                         2.7           NYB
           Peoples Heritage Finl Group                   3.0           PHBK
           Roslyn Bancorp Inc.                           2.5           RSLN
           St. Paul Bancorp Inc.                         2.3           SPBC
           Sovereign Bancorp Inc.                        3.0           SVRN
           Washington Mutual Inc.                       21.0           WAMU
           Washington Federal Inc.                       3.9           WFSL
                                                       100.0%

          "Index Price" means, on a given date, the weighted  average  (weighted
in accordance with the factors listed in the definition of "Index Group") of the
closing prices on such date of the common stocks of the companies  composing the
Index Group.

          "Insurance Amount" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.13(b).

          "Insurer"  means a person who insures or guarantees all or any portion
of the  risk of loss  upon  borrower  default  on any of the  Loans,  including,
without  limitation,  the FHA,  the VA and any  private  mortgage  insurer,  and
providers of life,  hazard,  flood,  disability,  title or other  insurance with
respect to any of the Loans or the collateral therefor.

          "Investor"  means  (i) the  FHLMC,  the FNMA,  the GNMA,  or any other
person,  as the case may be, that owns any of the Loans or any portion of a Pool
of Loans or holds  beneficial  title to the  Loans or any  portion  of a Pool of
Loans, but shall not mean the holder of  mortgage-backed  securities or mortgage
pass-through securities except to the extent that the consent of such holder may
be required in order for the Company or any of


                                       -6-

<PAGE>
its  Subsidiaries to continue to have servicing rights with respect to the Loans
related thereto and (ii) any person who owns servicing rights for loans serviced
or master serviced by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries  pursuant to a Loan
Servicing Agreement.

          "Investor  Commitment"  means any  commitment  of a person to purchase
Loans from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

          "IRS" means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

          "Liens"  means  any  charge,  mortgage,   pledge,  security  interest,
restriction, claim, lien, or encumbrance.

          "Listed  Termination" means a termination of this Agreement (i) by the
Acquiror  pursuant  to Section  8.01(b)  because of a  knowing,  intentional  or
grossly  negligent  breach by the  Company,  (ii) by the  Acquiror  pursuant  to
Section  8.01(e) or (iii) by the Company  pursuant to Section  8.01(f),  in each
case,  unless at the time of such  termination  (A) the  Company is  entitled to
terminate  this  Agreement  pursuant  to Section  8.01(b)  because of a knowing,
intentional  or grossly  negligent  breach by the  Acquiror  and (B) the Company
shall have notified the Acquiror in writing of such breach.

          "Loan" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(t).

          "Loan  Servicing  Agreement"  has the  meaning  set  forth in  Section
5.03(t).

          "Material  Adverse Effect" means,  with respect to the Acquiror or the
Company,  any effect that (i) is material and adverse to the financial position,
results of operations or business of the Acquiror and its Subsidiaries  taken as
a whole, or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, respectively,  or
(ii) would  materially  impair the ability of either the Acquiror or the Company
to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially threaten
or materially  impede the consummation of the Merger and the other  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;  provided, however, that Material Adverse Effect
shall not be deemed to include  the impact of (a) changes in banking and similar
laws  of  general   applicability  or  interpretations   thereof  by  courts  or
governmental   authorities,   (b)  changes  in  generally  accepted   accounting
principles  or  regulatory   accounting   requirements   applicable  to  savings
associations and their holding companies  generally and (c) events or conditions
generally adversely  affecting the mortgage banking industry,  including general
changes in  interest  rates and other  changes in general  business  or economic
conditions.

          "Merger" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.



                                       -7-

<PAGE>
          "Multiemployer   Plan"   means,   with   respect  to  any  person,   a
multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA.

          "New Certificates" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04.

          "NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

          "Old Certificates" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04.

          "OTS" means the Office of Thrift Supervision.

          "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

          "Pension Plan" has, with respect to any person,  the meaning set forth
in Section 5.03(l).

          "person"  means  any  individual,   bank,  corporation,   partnership,
association, joint-stock company, business trust or unincorporated organization.

          "Pool" means a pool of Loans  originated,  acquired or serviced by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

          "Preliminary  Fee Trigger  Event" has the meaning set forth in Section
8.03(b).

          "Previously  Disclosed"  means,  with  respect  to the  Company or the
Acquiror, information set forth in such party's Disclosure Schedule.

          "Proxy Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03.

          "Registration Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03.

          "Representatives"  means,  with respect to any person,  such  person's
directors,   officers,   employees,   legal  or   financial   advisors   or  any
representatives of such legal or financial advisors.

          "Rights" means, with respect to any person,  securities or obligations
convertible  into or exercisable or  exchangeable  for, or giving any person any
right to subscribe for or acquire, or any options, calls or commitments relating
to, or any stock  appreciation  right or other  instrument the value of which is
determined  in whole or in part by  reference  to the market  price or value of,
shares of capital stock of such person.

          "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                       -8-

<PAGE>

          "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations thereunder.

          "Securitization  Instruments"  has the  meaning  set forth in  Section
5.03(t).

          "Securitization  Servicer"  has  the  meaning  set  forth  in  Section
5.03(t).

          "Securitization  Transaction"  has the  meaning  set forth in  Section
5.03(t).

          "Serviced Loans" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(t).

          "Starting Date" means June 20, 1997.

          "Starting Price" shall mean $19.00.

          "State  Agency" means any state agency with  authority to regulate the
business of the Company, determine the investment or servicing requirements with
regard to loans originated,  purchased or serviced by the Company,  or otherwise
participate in or promote mortgage lending.

          "Subsidiary" and "Significant  Subsidiary" have the meanings  ascribed
to them in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X of the SEC.

          "Surviving Corporation" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01.

          "Takeover Laws" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(n).

          "Taxes" means all taxes,  charges,  fees, levies or other assessments,
however  denominated,  including,  without  limitation,  all net  income,  gross
income,  gross receipts,  sales, use, ad valorem,  goods and services,  capital,
transfer,  franchise,   profits,  license,  withholding,   payroll,  employment,
employer health, excise, estimated,  severance,  stamp, occupation,  property or
other taxes, custom duties, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever,
together  with any interest and any  penalties,  additions to tax or  additional
amounts imposed by any taxing authority  whether arising before, on or after the
Effective Date.

          "Tax Returns" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(q).

          "Treasury Stock" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(b).

          "Warehouse Loans" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(t).



                                       -9-

<PAGE>
          1.02  Interpretation.  When a reference  is made in this  Agreement to
Sections,  Exhibits or Schedules,  such  reference  shall be to a Section of, or
Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise indicated.  The table of
contents and headings  contained in this  Agreement are for  reference  purposes
only  and  are not  part  of  this  Agreement.  Whenever  the  words  "include,"
"includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be
followed by the words "without limitation." No provision of this Agreement shall
be  construed to require the  Company,  the Acquiror or any of their  respective
Subsidiaries or affiliates to take any action which would violate applicable law
(whether statutory or common law), rule or regulation.


                                   ARTICLE II

                                   The Merger

          2.01 The Merger.  (a) Subject to and upon the terms and  conditions of
this Agreement,  at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall merge with and into the
Company (the  "Merger"),  the separate  corporate  existence of Merger Sub shall
cease  and the  Company  shall  survive  and  continue  to exist  as a  Delaware
corporation (the Company, as the surviving corporation in the Merger,  sometimes
being referred to herein as the "Surviving Corporation").

          (b)  Effectiveness   and  Effects  of  the  Merger.   Subject  to  the
satisfaction  or waiver of the  conditions  set forth in Article VII, the Merger
shall become  effective  upon the filing in the office of the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware of a certificate  of merger in accordance  with Section
251 of the Delaware General  Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), or at such later date
and time as may be set forth in such articles and certificate.  The Merger shall
have the effects prescribed in the DGCL.

          (c)  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and By-Laws.  The  certificate of
incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving  Corporation shall be,  respectively,
the certificate of incorporation of the Company,  as in effect immediately prior
to the Effective Time, and the by-laws of the Company,  as in effect immediately
prior to the Effective Time.

          (d) Directors.  At the Effective  Time, the directors of the Surviving
Corporation  shall be the  directors  of  Merger  Sub  immediately  prior to the
Effective  Time, and such directors,  together with any additional  directors as
may  thereafter  be  elected,  shall hold such  office  until such time as their
successors shall be duly elected and qualified.

          (e)  Officers.  At the Effective  Time,  the officers of the Surviving
Corporation  shall  be the  officers  of  Merger  Sub  immediately  prior to the
Effective  Time,  together  with any  additional  officers as may be agreed upon
prior thereto by the Acquiror and the Company or as may be appointed thereafter.


                                      -10-

<PAGE>

          2.02 Reservation of Right to Revise Structure. At the Bank's election,
the Merger may  alternatively  be  structured  so that (i) the Company is merged
with and into Acquiror,  the Bank, or any other direct or indirect  wholly owned
subsidiary  of  Acquiror  (provided,  that in such  event the  Company  makes no
representation  as to whether any consents are required,  or any  agreements are
adversely  affected,  thereby)  or (ii) any  direct  or  indirect  wholly  owned
subsidiary  of  Acquiror  (other  than  Merger  Sub) is merged with and into the
Company;  provided,  however,  that no such change shall (a) alter or change the
amount or kind of the  Consideration  or the treatment of the holders of Company
Stock  Options,  (b)  adversely  affect  the  tax  treatment  of  the  Company's
stockholders as a result of receiving the  Consideration  or prevent the parties
from obtaining the opinions of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett or Sullivan & Cromwell
referred to in Section  7.02(d) and  7.03(c),  respectively,  or (c)  materially
impede or delay consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
In the event of such an election,  the parties  agree to execute an  appropriate
amendment to this Agreement in order to reflect such election.

          2.03  Effective  Time.  Subject to the  satisfaction  or waiver of the
conditions  set forth in Article  VII,  the  parties  shall  cause the Merger to
become  effective on the date that is (i) the fifth  business day (the  "Initial
Closing  Date") to occur after the last of the  conditions set forth in Sections
7.01,  7.02 or 7.03 shall have been  satisfied or waived in accordance  with the
terms of this  Agreement  (or,  at the  election  of the  Acquiror,  on the last
business  day of the  month in which  such day  occurs;  provided  that,  if the
Acquiror  shall make such  election,  it shall waive the  condition set forth in
Section  7.03(a) as to other than an intentional,  knowing or grossly  negligent
breach (so long as such condition is satisfied on the Initial Closing Date)).


                                   ARTICLE III

                                  Consideration

          3.01  Consideration.  Subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  of this
Agreement,  at the  Effective  Time,  automatically  by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of any stockholder:

                  (a) Outstanding  Company Common Stock.  Each share,  excluding
         Treasury  Stock,  of  Company  Common  Stock,  issued  and  outstanding
         immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time,  together  with the related
         Company Rights, shall become and be converted into the right to receive
         1.37  shares  of  Acquiror  Common  Stock  (together  with the  related
         Acquiror  Rights)  (subject  to  possible  adjustment  as set  forth in
         Sections  3.05 and  8.01(g),  the  "Exchange  Ratio") and the number of
         shares of Company Common Stock,  excluding Treasury Shares,  issued and
         outstanding    immediately   prior   to   the   Effective   Time   (the
         "Consideration").



                                      -11-

<PAGE>
                  (b) Outstanding  Merger Sub Common Stock. Each share of common
         stock,  par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued and outstanding
         immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time shall be unchanged and shall
         remain  issued  and  outstanding  as one share of  common  stock of the
         Surviving Corporation.

                  (c)  Treasury  Shares.  Each  share of  Company  Stock held as
         Treasury  Stock  (which  includes  all  shares of  Company  Convertible
         Preferred  Stock)  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time  shall be
         canceled and retired at the Effective Time and no  consideration  shall
         be issued in exchange therefor.

          3.02 Rights as Stockholders;  Stock Transfers.  At the Effective Time,
holders  of  Company  Stock  shall  cease to be,  and shall  have no rights  as,
stockholders of the Company, other than the right to receive (a) any dividend or
other  distribution  with  respect  to such  Company  Stock  with a record  date
occurring prior to the Effective Time and (b) the  consideration  provided under
this Article III. After the Effective  Time,  there shall be no transfers on the
stock transfer books of the Company or the Surviving Corporation of shares of
Company Stock.

          3.03 Fractional  Shares.  Notwithstanding  any other provision in this
Agreement,  no fractional shares of Acquiror Common Stock and no certificates or
scrip therefor,  or other evidence of ownership  thereof,  will be issued in the
Merger;  instead,  the Acquiror shall pay to each holder of Company Common Stock
who otherwise  would be entitled to a fractional  share of Acquiror Common Stock
(after  taking into  account all Old  Certificates  delivered by such holder) an
amount in cash (without interest) determined by multiplying such fraction by the
average of the last sale prices of  Acquiror  Common  Stock,  as reported by the
NYSE  Composite  Transactions  Reporting  System (as reported in The Wall Street
Journal or, if not reported therein, in another  authoritative  source), for the
five  consecutive  NYSE full trading days  immediately  preceding  the Effective
Date.

          3.04 Exchange  Procedures.  (a) At or prior to the Effective Time, the
Acquiror shall deposit,  or shall cause to be deposited,  with an exchange agent
appointed prior to the Effective Time by the Acquiror (the "Exchange Agent"), as
agent for the  benefit of the  holders  of  certificates  formerly  representing
shares of Company Common Stock ("Old Certificates"),  for exchange in accordance
with this Article III,  certificates  representing the shares of Acquiror Common
Stock ("New  Certificates")  and an estimated  amount of cash (such cash and New
Certificates,  together with any dividends or  distributions  with a record date
occurring after the Effective Date with respect thereto (without any interest on
any such cash, dividends or distributions), being hereinafter referred to as the
"Exchange Fund") to be issued as Consideration.

          (b) As promptly as practicable after the Effective Date, the Surviving
Corporation  shall send or cause to be sent to each  former  holder of record of
shares (other than Treasury Stock) of Company Common Stock  immediately prior to
the Effective Time transmittal


                                      -12-

<PAGE>
materials for use in exchanging such  stockholder's  Old Certificates for Merger
Consideration.  The Surviving  Corporation shall cause the New Certificates into
which  shares of a  stockholder's  Company  Common  Stock are  converted  on the
Effective Date and/or any check in respect of any fractional  share interests or
dividends or distributions  which such person shall be entitled to receive to be
delivered  to such  stockholder  upon  delivery  to the  Exchange  Agent  of Old
Certificates  representing  such shares of Company  Common  Stock (or  indemnity
satisfactory to the Surviving Corporation and the Exchange Agent, if any of such
certificates are lost, stolen or destroyed) owned by such stockholder;  provided
that New  Certificates  and/or any such check shall not be issued to any Company
Affiliate  unless and until such Company  Affiliate  has  delivered an agreement
pursuant  to  Section  6.07.  No  interest  will be  paid on any  Consideration,
including cash to be paid in lieu of fractional share  interests,  or in respect
of dividends or distributions which any such person shall be entitled to receive
pursuant to this Article II upon such delivery.

          (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  neither the Exchange Agent nor any
party  hereto  shall be liable to any  former  holder of  Company  Stock for any
amount properly delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable  abandoned
property, escheat or similar laws.

          (d) No dividends or other  distributions on Acquiror Common Stock with
a record date occurring  after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of
any  unsurrendered Old Certificate  representing  shares of Company Common Stock
converted in the Merger into the right to receive shares of such Acquiror Common
Stock until the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive New  Certificates in
exchange  therefor in  accordance  with this  Article III, and no such shares of
Company  Common  Stock  shall  be  eligible  to vote  until  the  holder  of Old
Certificates  is entitled to receive New  Certificates  in accordance  with this
Article III. After becoming so entitled in accordance with this Article III, the
record  holder  thereof also shall be entitled to receive any such  dividends or
other distributions,  without any interest thereon, which theretofore had become
payable  with  respect to shares of  Acquiror  Common  Stock such holder had the
right to receive upon surrender of the Old Certificate.

          (e) Any portion of the  Exchange  Fund that  remains  unclaimed by the
stockholders  of the Company for six months  after the  Effective  Time shall be
returned  to  the  Acquiror.  Any  stockholders  of the  Company  who  have  not
theretofore  complied  with this Article III shall  thereafter  look only to the
Acquiror for payment of the shares of Acquiror Common Stock, cash in lieu of any
fractional  shares and unpaid dividends and distributions on the Acquiror Common
Stock  deliverable  in  respect  of each  share of  Company  Common  Stock  such
stockholder  holds as  determined  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  in each  case,
without any interest thereon.

          3.05  Anti-Dilution   Provisions.   Should  the  Acquiror  change  (or
establish a record date for  changing)  the number of shares of Acquiror  Common
Stock  issued  and  outstanding  prior to the  Effective  Date by way of a stock
split, stock dividend, recapitalization or


                                      -13-

<PAGE>
similar  transaction  with respect to the outstanding  Acquiror Common Stock and
the record date  therefor  shall be prior to the  Effective  Date,  the Exchange
Ratio shall be proportionately adjusted.

          3.06  Options.  (a) At the Effective  Time,  each Company Stock Option
shall cease to represent a right to acquire  shares of Company  Common Stock and
shall be converted  automatically  into an option to purchase shares of Acquiror
Common Stock,  and Acquiror  shall assume each such Company Stock Option subject
to the terms thereof; provided, however, that from and after the Effective Time,
(i) the number of shares of Acquiror Common Stock  purchasable  upon exercise of
such  Company  Stock  Option  shall be equal to the  number of shares of Company
Common Stock that were purchasable  under such Company Stock Option  immediately
prior to the Effective Time  multiplied by the Exchange  Ratio,  and rounding to
the nearest whole share,  and (ii) the per share  exercise price under each such
Company Stock Option shall be adjusted by dividing the per share  exercise price
of each such Company  Stock Option by the Exchange  Ratio,  and rounding down to
the nearest cent.  The terms of each Company  Stock Option shall,  in accordance
with its terms,  be subject to further  adjustment as appropriate to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend,  recapitalization or other similar transaction with
respect  to  Acquiror  Common  Stock on or  subsequent  to the  Effective  Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Company Stock Option which is intended to be
an  "incentive  stock  option"  (as defined in Section 422 of the Code) shall be
adjusted  in  accordance  with the  requirements  of  Section  424 of the  Code.
Accordingly,  with respect to any incentive  stock  options,  fractional  shares
shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares and where  necessary
the per share exercise price shall be rounded down to the nearest
cent.

          (b) In order to effectuate the adjustment of the Company Stock Options
provided  for in the  proviso to Section  3.06(a),  the Company  represents  and
warrants to, and agrees with, the Acquiror that the Company (or as  appropriate,
the  Company  Board)  shall take all action  required  to be taken such that (i)
holders of Stock Options issued under the Company's  Incentive Stock Option Plan
will not  receive  the cash  payment  for such Stock  Options as provided in the
second  sentence of Section 10 of such Plan (which  shall be effected  either by
resolving  that  this  Agreement  and  the  transactions   contemplated   hereby
(including  the Company  Meeting and any Merger) do not  constitute a "Change of
Control"  for  purposes of such  Section or by taking such other action with the
prior consent of Acquiror, provided that such other action is taken prior to the
date on which a "Change of Control" would  otherwise occur in the absence of the
Company  Board  resolution  to the  contrary)  and (ii) under  Section 11 of the
Company's  Incentive Stock Option Plan, at the Effective Time, all Company Stock
Options  shall be  adjusted as  provided  in Section  3.06(a)  (and shall not be
canceled in exchange  for  payment as  contemplated  by clause (ii) of the first
sentence  of  that  Section).   Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  in  this
Agreement,  the Company  shall be permitted to take such action or to cause such
action to be taken as may be required for each Company Stock Option (x) to fully
vest and become immediately  exercisable at the Effective Time and (y) to remain
exercisable  after the  Effective  Time for the  remaining  term of such Company
Stock Option, in both cases


                                      -14-

<PAGE>
notwithstanding  the action of the  Company  referred  to in the first sentence
of this Section 3.06(b).

          (c) At or prior to the  Effective  Time,  the  Company  shall take all
action  necessary with respect to the Company's  Incentive  Stock Option Plan to
permit the assumption of the then outstanding  Company Stock Options by Acquiror
pursuant to this Section. The Company shall take all action necessary, including
obtaining any required  consents from  optionees,  to provide that following the
Effective Time no participant  in the Company's  Incentive  Stock Option Plan or
other plans,  programs or arrangements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
shall have any right thereunder to acquire equity securities of the Company, the
Surviving Corporation or any subsidiary thereof and to permit Acquiror to assume
the Company's  Incentive  Stock Option Plan.  The Company shall further take all
action necessary to amend the Company's Incentive Stock Option Plan to eliminate
automatic grants or awards thereunder,  if any, following the Effective Time. At
the Effective Time,  Acquiror shall assume the Company's  Incentive Stock Option
Plan;  provided,  that such  assumption  shall be only in respect of the assumed
Company Stock Options and that Acquiror shall have no obligation with respect to
any  awards  under the  Company's  Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan other than the
assumed  Company Stock Options or to make any additional  grants or awards under
such assumed plan.

          (d) The Acquiror shall take all corporate  action necessary to reserve
for issuance a sufficient number of shares of Acquiror Common Stock for delivery
pursuant to the terms set forth in this Section 3.06.  Subject to any applicable
limitations  under  the  Securities  Act,  Acquiror  shall  either  (i)  file  a
registration  statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form), effective as of the
Effective  Time,  with respect to the shares of Acquiror  Common Stock  issuable
upon exercise of the Stock Options, or (ii) file any necessary amendments to the
Company's  previously filed registration  statement(s) on Form S-8 in order that
the Acquiror will be deemed a "successor registrant" thereunder,  and, in either
event the  Acquiror  shall use its  reasonable  best  efforts  to  maintain  the
effectiveness of such registration statement(s) (and maintain the current status
of the prospectus or prospectuses  relating thereto) for so long as such options
shall remain outstanding.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                           Actions Pending the Merger

          4.01  Forbearances  of the  Company.  From the date  hereof  until the
earlier of the  termination of this Agreement or the Effective  Time,  except as
expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Disclosure Schedule, without the
prior written consent of the Acquiror, the Company will not, and will cause each
of its Subsidiaries not to:

          (a)  Ordinary  Course.  Conduct  the  business  of the Company and its
Subsidiaries  other  than in the  ordinary  and usual  course  or, to the extent
consistent


                                      -15-

<PAGE>
therewith,  fail to use  reasonable  efforts to preserve  intact their  business
organizations  and assets and maintain  their  rights,  franchises  and existing
relations with customers, suppliers, employees and business associates.

          (b) Capital Stock. Other than pursuant to Rights Previously  Disclosed
and  outstanding  on the date hereof,  (i) issue,  sell or  otherwise  permit to
become  outstanding,  or authorize  the creation  of, any  additional  shares of
Company Stock or any Rights,  (ii) enter into any agreement  with respect to the
foregoing,  or (iii)  permit any  additional  shares of Company  Stock to become
subject to new grants of employee or director  stock  options,  other  Rights or
similar stock-based employee rights. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company
will not issue or agree to issue any shares of Company Stock or Rights under the
Company's 1997 Amended Incentive Stock Option Plan or the Company's 1997 Amended
Employee Stock Purchase Plan other than pursuant to Rights Previously  Disclosed
and outstanding on the date hereof.

          (c) Dividends,  Etc. (i) Make,  declare,  pay or set aside for payment
any dividend,  other than (A) subject to Section 4.03 hereof,  regular quarterly
cash  dividends  on Company  Common  Stock in an amount not to exceed  $0.06 per
share paid with record and payment dates  consistent  with past practice and (B)
dividends from wholly owned  Subsidiaries to the Company or another wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company, as applicable (in each case having record and payment
dates  consistent with past  practice),  on or in respect of, or declare or make
any  distribution  on any  shares  of its  capital  stock  or (ii)  directly  or
indirectly adjust, split,  combine,  redeem,  reclassify,  purchase or otherwise
acquire, any shares of its capital stock.

          (d)  Compensation;  Employment  Agreements;  Etc.  Enter into,  amend,
modify  or renew  any  written  employment,  consulting,  severance  or  similar
agreements  or  arrangements  with any  directors,  officers,  employees  of, or
independent  contractors  with respect to, the Company or its  Subsidiaries,  or
grant any  salary,  wage or other  increase  or increase  any  employee  benefit
(including  incentive  or bonus  payments),  except  (i) for  normal  individual
increases  in  compensation  to  employees  in the  ordinary  course of business
consistent  with past  practice,  (ii) for other  changes  that are  required by
applicable law, or (iii) to satisfy Previously Disclosed obligations.

          (e) Benefit Plans. Enter into,  establish,  adopt, amend or modify any
pension,  retirement,  stock option,  stock purchase,  savings,  profit sharing,
deferred  compensation,  consulting,  bonus,  group  insurance or other employee
benefit,  incentive  or  welfare  contract,  plan or  arrangement,  or any trust
agreement (or similar arrangement) related thereto, in respect of any directors,
officers,  employees of, or independent contractors with respect to, the Company
or its Subsidiaries, including taking any action that accelerates the vesting or
exercisability of stock options, restricted stock or other


                                      -16-

<PAGE>
compensation or benefits payable  thereunder,  except, in each such case, (i) as
may be  required  by  applicable  law or (ii) to  satisfy  Previously  Disclosed
obligations.

          (f) Dispositions. Except (i) pursuant to Previously Disclosed Investor
Commitments  existing  on the  date  hereof  or  (ii)  as  otherwise  Previously
Disclosed, (A) sell, transfer, mortgage, lease, encumber or otherwise dispose of
or discontinue any material portion of its assets,  business or properties;  (B)
sell,  assign or  otherwise  transfer  any rights to service  loans,  other than
servicing  rights in respect of first  mortgage loans held by the Company or one
of its  Subsidiaries in its warehouse of first mortgage loans  originated by the
Company or one of its  Subsidiaries  (x) on a retail basis or (y) on a wholesale
basis where such  wholesale  loans are jumbo  loans,  adjustable  rate  mortgage
loans, or other wholesale mortgage loans registered with private  investors,  in
each case where such sales are in a manner consistent with past practice; or (C)
except in the ordinary  course of business and in a manner  consistent with past
practice, sell, transfer, lease or encumber any Loans.

          (g)  Acquisitions.  Except (i) (A)  pursuant to  Previously  Disclosed
contractual  obligations  existing  on the  date  hereof,  (B) the  purchase  or
repurchase  of mortgage  loans  and/or loan  servicing  rights,  (C)  short-term
investments  for  cash  management  purposes  (including  transactions  that the
Company may enter into to utilize  escrow  balances),  (D) pursuant to bona fide
hedging transactions, or (E) by way of foreclosures or otherwise in satisfaction
of debts  previously  contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary and
usual course of business  consistent  with past practice,  or (ii) as Previously
Disclosed, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will: (x) acquire any
assets  in  any  one  transaction  or  a  series  of  related  transactions  for
consideration  in excess of  $250,000  or enter  into any  contract,  agreement,
commitment or  arrangement  with respect  thereto;  or (y) acquire any servicing
right in a "bulk" transaction.

          (h) Governing Documents.  Amend the Company  Certificate,  the Company
By-laws or the  certificate of  incorporation  or by-laws (or similar  governing
documents) of any of the Company's Subsidiaries.

          (i)  Accounting  Methods.   Implement  or  adopt  any  change  in  its
accounting  principles,  practices or methods,  other than as may be required by
generally accepted accounting principles.

          (j) Contracts.  Except in the ordinary  course of business  consistent
with past  practice,  enter into or terminate any material  Contract or amend or
modify in any material respect any of its existing material Contracts.



                                      -17-

<PAGE>
          (k) Claims.  Settle any claim,  action or  proceeding,  except for any
claim,  action or  proceeding  involving  solely  money  damages  in an  amount,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  that is not material to the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

          (l) Adverse Actions.  (i) Take any action reasonably likely to prevent
or impede the Merger from qualifying as a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368 of the Code; or (ii)  knowingly  take any action that is intended or
is reasonably likely to result in (A) any of its  representations and warranties
set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material  respect at
any time at or prior to the  Effective  Time,  (B) any of the  conditions to the
Merger set forth in Article VII not being  satisfied or (C) a material breach of
any  provision of this  Agreement;  except,  in each case, as may be required by
applicable law.

          (m) Risk Management;  Loan Policies.  Except as required by applicable
law or  regulation,  to  comply  with  modifications  of rules,  regulations  or
requirements  imposed by any Agency and except  (after prior  consultation  with
Acquiror)  for changes  required by the  Company's  or any of its  subsidiaries'
traditional  conduits for the sale of non- conventional  loans: (i) implement or
adopt any  material  change in its  interest  rate risk  management  and hedging
(which term  includes  buying  futures and forward  commitments  from  financial
institutions)  policies,  procedures  or  practices;  (ii)  fail to  follow  its
existing policies or practices with respect to managing its exposure to interest
rate risk; (iii) fail to use commercially reasonable means to avoid any material
increase in its  aggregate  exposure to interest rate risk against loans held in
the  Company's  pipeline;  or (iv)  materially  alter its methods or policies of
underwriting,  pricing,  originating,  warehousing,  selling and  servicing,  or
buying or selling rights to service loans.

          (n)  Indebtedness.  Incur any  indebtedness  for borrowed  money other
than: (i) indebtedness  used to fund or purchase  mortgage Loans in the ordinary
course  of  business  consistent  with  past  practice;  (ii)  pursuant  to  its
"Warehouse  Line of Credit  Facility"  (i.e.,  the Second  Amended and  Restated
Revolving Credit Agreement,  dated as of January 23, 1996, with a group of banks
headed by The First National Bank of Chicago);  and (iii)  indebtedness  arising
from  repurchase  agreements  with FNMA,  FHLMC and  investment  banks and other
financial  institutions  in the ordinary  course of business and consistent with
past practice.

          (o) Offices. Open any new branch offices, or close any existing branch
office for the retail  origination of mortgage loans,  except for closures where
(i) the term of such lease expires in 1997 and the Company or its Subsidiary has
not  renewed  such  lease,  (ii) the Company or its  Subsidiary  had  previously
planned to close such  branch  office or (iii) such  closure is in the  ordinary
course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice (in the case of
(i) and (ii), as Previously Disclosed).



                                      -18-

<PAGE>

          (p)  Commitments.  Agree  or  commit  to do  anything  that  would  be
precluded  by clauses (a) through (o) without  first  obtaining  the  Acquiror's
consent.

          4.02 Forbearances of the Acquiror. From the date hereof until the
Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement,  without the
prior written consent of the Company, the Acquiror will not, and will cause each
of its Subsidiaries not to:

          (a)  Ordinary  Course.  Conduct the  business of the  Acquiror and its
Subsidiaries  other than in the ordinary and usual  course;  provided  that this
Section  4.02(a)  shall in no way affect  the  ability  of the  Acquiror  or its
Subsidiaries  to  engage  in any  business,  asset  or  deposit  acquisition  or
disposition, or merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction.

          (b) Adverse Actions.  (i) Take any action reasonably likely to prevent
or impede the Merger from qualifying as a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368 of the Code; or (ii)  knowingly  take any action that is intended or
is reasonably likely to result in (A) any of its  representations and warranties
set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material  respect at
any time at or prior to the  Effective  Time,  (B) any of the  conditions to the
Merger set forth in Article VII not being  satisfied or (C) a material breach of
any  provision of this  Agreement;  except,  in each case, as may be required by
applicable law.

          (c) Dividends,  Etc. Make,  declare,  pay or set aside for payment any
dividend  (other than,  subject to Section 4.03 hereof,  regular  quarterly cash
dividends  on Acquiror  Common  Stock and  dividends  from  Subsidiaries  to the
Acquiror or another Subsidiary of the Acquiror), on or in respect of, or declare
or make any distribution on any shares of its capital stock.

          (d) Governing Documents. Amend the Acquiror Certificate or the by-laws
of  Acquiror  in a manner  that would be  materially  adverse to the  holders of
Acquiror Common Stock.

          (e)  Commitments.  Agree  or  commit  to do  anything  that  would  be
precluded  by clauses  (a) through (d) without  first  obtaining  the  Company's
consent.

          4.03.  Coordination  of  Dividends.  Each of the Company and  Acquiror
shall  coordinate  with the other  regarding the  declaration and payment of any
dividends in respect of the Company  Common Stock and Acquiror  Common Stock and
the record dates and the payment dates relating thereto,  it being the intention
of the Company  and  Acquiror  that  holders of Company  Common  Stock shall not
receive two dividends,  or fail to receive one dividend, for any single calendar
quarter with respect to their shares of Company Common Stock and/or any shares


                                      -19-

<PAGE>
of  Acquiror  Common  Stock that any such holder  receives in exchange  therefor
pursuant to the Merger.


                                    ARTICLE V

                         Representations and Warranties

          5.01 Disclosure Schedules. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company
has  delivered to the  Acquiror and the Acquiror (on behalf of itself,  the Bank
and Merger  Sub) has  delivered  to the  Company a schedule  (respectively,  its
"Disclosure  Schedule") setting forth, among other things,  items the disclosure
of which is necessary or appropriate either in response to an express disclosure
requirement  contained  in a provision  hereof or as an exception to one or more
representations or warranties  contained in Section 5.03 or 5.04,  respectively,
or to one or more of its covenants  contained in Article IV; provided,  that (a)
no such  item  is  required  to be set  forth  in a  Disclosure  Schedule  as an
exception to a representation or warranty if its absence would not result in the
related  representation  or warranty being deemed untrue or incorrect  under the
standard established by Section 5.02, and (b) the mere inclusion of an item in a
Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty shall not be
deemed an  admission  by a party  that such item (or any  non-disclosed  item or
information  of  comparable  or  greater  significance)  represents  a  material
exception or fact, event or circumstance or that such item is reasonably  likely
to result in a  Material  Adverse  Effect  with  respect  to the  Company or the
Acquiror, respectively.

          5.02  Standard.  No  representation  or warranty of the Company or the
Acquiror  contained in Section 5.03 or 5.04 shall be deemed untrue or incorrect,
and no party  hereto  shall be  deemed  to have  breached  a  representation  or
warranty,  as a consequence of the existence of any fact,  event or circumstance
unless such fact, event or circumstance, individually or taken together with all
other facts,  events or circumstances  inconsistent  with any  representation or
warranty  contained in Section 5.03 or 5.04 has had or is  reasonably  likely to
have a Material  Adverse  Effect with  respect to the  Company or the  Acquiror,
respectively.

          5.03  Representations  and  Warranties  of  the  Company.  Subject  to
Sections 5.01 and 5.02 and except as Previously  Disclosed in a paragraph of its
Disclosure  Schedule  corresponding to the relevant paragraph below, the Company
hereby represents and warrants to the Acquiror, the Bank and Merger Sub:

          (a)   Organization,   Standing  and   Authority.   The  Company  is  a
corporation,  duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good standing under the
laws of the State of  Delaware,  and is duly  qualified to do business and is in
good  standing  in all the  jurisdictions  where its  ownership  or  leasing  of
property  or  assets  or  the  conduct  of  its  business  requires  it to be so
qualified.


                                      -20-

<PAGE>
          (b) Company Stock. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock
of the Company consists solely of (i) 50,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock,
of which  13,986,899  shares  are  outstanding  as of the date  hereof  and (ii)
20,000,000  shares of  Company  Preferred  Stock,  of which  748,179  shares are
outstanding (in the form of Company Convertible  Preferred Stock) as of the date
hereof. As of the date hereof, 2,433,016 shares of Company Common Stock are held
in treasury by the Company and 748,179 shares of Company  Convertible  Preferred
Stock are  otherwise  owned by the  Company or its  Subsidiaries  (collectively,
"Treasury  Stock").  The  outstanding  shares of  Company  Stock  have been duly
authorized and are validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable,
and subject to no  preemptive  rights (and were not issued in  violation  of any
preemptive  rights).  As of the date hereof,  other than the Company  Rights and
except as Previously Disclosed in its Disclosure  Schedule,  there are no shares
of Company Stock authorized and reserved for issuance, the Company does not have
any Rights issued or outstanding  with respect to Company Stock, and the Company
does not have any  commitment to  authorize,  issue or sell any Company Stock or
Rights,  except pursuant to this Agreement.  Since May 29, 1997, the Company has
issued no shares of  Company  Stock or Rights or  reserved  any  shares for such
purposes  except  pursuant to Previously  Disclosed  plans or  commitments.  The
number of shares of Company  Stock which are  issuable and reserved for issuance
upon  exercise of Company  Stock  Options as of the date  hereof are  Previously
Disclosed in the Company's Disclosure Schedule.

          (c) Subsidiaries.  (i)(A) The Company has Previously  Disclosed a list
of all its  Subsidiaries  together with the jurisdiction of organization of each
such Subsidiary,  (B) the Company owns,  directly or indirectly,  all the issued
and outstanding  equity  securities of each of its  Subsidiaries,  (C) no equity
securities of any of its  Subsidiaries  are or may become  required to be issued
(other than to it or its Subsidiaries) by reason of any Rights, (D) there are no
contracts,  commitments,  understandings  or  arrangements  by which any of such
Subsidiaries  is or may be  bound  to  sell or  otherwise  transfer  any  equity
securities of any such Subsidiaries (other than to it or its Subsidiaries),  (E)
there are no contracts, commitments, understandings, or arrangements relating to
its  rights to vote or to dispose of such  securities  (other  than to it or its
Subsidiaries), and (F) all the equity securities of each such Subsidiary held by
the Company or its Subsidiaries are fully paid and  nonassessable  and are owned
by the Company or its Subsidiaries free and clear of any Liens.

                  (ii)  The  Company  does  not own  beneficially,  directly  or
         indirectly,  any equity  securities or similar interests of any person,
         or any interest in a partnership  or joint  venture of any kind,  other
         than its Subsidiaries.

                  (iii)  Each  of  the  Company's  Subsidiaries  has  been  duly
         organized and is validly  existing and in good standing  under the laws
         of the  jurisdiction of its  organization,  and is duly qualified to do
         business and in good standing in all the jurisdictions where its


                                      -21-

<PAGE>
         ownership or leasing of property or assets or the conduct of its
         business requires it to be so qualified.

          (d) Corporate  Power. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has the
corporate  power  and  authority  to carry on its  business  as it is now  being
conducted  and to own all its  properties  and  assets;  and the Company has the
corporate  power and authority to execute,  deliver and perform its  obligations
under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (e)  Corporate  Authority.  Subject in the case of this  Agreement  to
adoption of the  agreement of merger set forth in this  Agreement by the holders
of at least a  majority  of the  outstanding  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock
entitled to vote  thereon,  this  Agreement  and the  transactions  contemplated
hereby have been authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the
Company.  This  Agreement  is a valid  and  legally  binding  obligation  of the
Company,  enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as enforceability may
be limited by applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium,
fraudulent  transfer  and similar laws of general  applicability  relating to or
affecting creditors' rights or by general equity principles).

          (f) Regulatory Filings; No Defaults.  (i) No consents or approvals of,
or filings or registrations  with, any Governmental  Authority or with any third
party  are  required  to be  made  or  obtained  by  the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  in connection  with the execution,  delivery or performance by the
Company of this Agreement, or to consummate the Merger except for (A) the filing
of a notice  under the HSR Act,  (B)  filings of  applications  or notices  with
Previously Disclosed mortgage banking licensing or supervisory authorities,  (C)
the filing with the SEC of the Proxy  Statement in definitive  form, and (D) the
filing of a  certificate  of merger with the  Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware  pursuant to the DGCL. As of the date hereof,  the Company is not aware
of any reason why the  approvals of all  Governmental  Authorities  necessary to
permit consummation of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement will not
be received  without the imposition of a condition or  requirement  described in
Section 7.01(b).

                  (ii)  Subject  to  receipt of the  regulatory  approvals,  and
         expiration  of  the  waiting  periods,  referred  to in  the  preceding
         paragraph  and the making of required  filings  under federal and state
         securities  laws,  the  execution,  delivery  and  performance  of this
         Agreement and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby
         and thereby do not and will not (A)  constitute  a breach or  violation
         of, or a default under,  or give rise to any Lien, any  acceleration of
         remedies or any right of termination under, any law, rule or regulation
         or any judgment,  decree,  order,  governmental  permit or license,  or
         Contract of the Company or of any of its  Subsidiaries  or to which the
         Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or properties is subject or bound,
         (B)  constitute  a breach or  violation  of, or a  default  under,  the
         Company Certificate or the Company By-laws, or (C) require any


                                      -22-

<PAGE>



         consent or approval  under any such law,  rule,  regulation,  judgment,
         decree, order, governmental permit or license or Contract.

          (g) SEC  Documents;  Financial  Statements.  (i) The Company's  Annual
Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal  years ended  December  31,  1994,  1995 and
1996,  and  all  other  reports,   registration  statements,   definitive  proxy
statements or information  statements filed or to be filed by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries subsequent to December 31, 1994 under the Securities Act, or
under Sections 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in the form filed
or to be filed (collectively, the "Company's SEC Documents") with the SEC, as of
the date filed, (A) complied or will comply in all material  respects as to form
with the applicable  requirements  under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act,
as the case may be,  and (B) did not (or if amended  or  superseded  by a filing
prior to the date of this  Agreement,  then as of the date of such  filing)  and
will not  contain  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not
misleading;  and each of the balance  sheets  contained  in or  incorporated  by
reference into any such SEC Document  (including the related notes and schedules
thereto) fairly presents,  or will fairly present, the financial position of the
Company  and its  Subsidiaries  as of its date,  and each of the  statements  of
income  and  changes  in  stockholders'  equity  and cash  flows  or  equivalent
statements  in such SEC  Documents  (including  any related  notes and schedules
thereto) fairly  presents,  or will fairly  present,  the results of operations,
changes in  stockholders'  equity and changes in cash flows, as the case may be,
of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  for the periods to which they  relate,  in
each  case  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted   accounting   principles
consistently applied during the periods involved,  except in each case as may be
noted  therein,  subject to normal  year-end  audit  adjustments  in the case of
unaudited statements.

                  (ii) Since  December 31,  1996,  on a  consolidated  basis the
         Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any liability other than
         in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

                  (iii)  Since  December  31,  1996,  (A)  the  Company  and its
         Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses in the ordinary
         and  usual  course   consistent  with  past  practice   (excluding  the
         incurrence of expenses  related to this Agreement and the  transactions
         contemplated  hereby)  and (B) no event has  occurred  or  circumstance
         arisen  that,  individually  or taken  together  with all other  facts,
         events and circumstances (described in any paragraph of Section 5.03 or
         otherwise), is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect with
         respect to the Company.

                  (iv)     The Company has Previously Disclosed a list of all
         write-downs of assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries since 
         December 31, 1996, including write-downs of


                                      -23-

<PAGE>



         interest participations, interest-only strips, residual interest strips
         or originated loan servicing rights. To the Company's knowledge,  there
         are no other write-downs that the Company and its Subsidiaries would be
         required to make to ensure that financial statements prepared as of the
         end of the month in which the Effective  Date occurs fairly present the
         financial  condition  of the  Company and its  Subsidiaries  as of such
         date.

          (h) Litigation.  No litigation,  claim or other proceeding  before any
court or  governmental  agency is  pending  against  the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries and, to the Company's knowledge, no such litigation, claim or other
proceeding has been threatened.

                  (i)      Compliance with Laws.  The Company and each of its
          Subsidiaries:

                           (i) in the conduct of its business,  is in compliance
                  with  all  applicable   federal,   state,  local  and  foreign
                  statutes,  laws,  regulations,  ordinances,  rules, judgments,
                  orders  or  decrees  applicable  thereto  or to the  employees
                  conducting such businesses, including, without limitation, the
                  Equal Credit  Opportunity  Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Home
                  Mortgage  Disclosure Act and all other applicable fair lending
                  laws  and  other  laws  relating  to  discriminatory  business
                  practices;

                           (ii)  has  all  permits,  licenses,   authorizations,
                  orders  and   approvals   of,   and  has  made  all   filings,
                  applications   and   registrations   with,  all   Governmental
                  Authorities  that are  required in order to permit them to own
                  or lease their  properties and to conduct their  businesses as
                  presently conducted; all such permits, licenses,  certificates
                  of  authority,  orders  and  approvals  are in full  force and
                  effect and,  to the  Company's  knowledge,  no  suspension  or
                  cancellation of any of them is threatened; and

                           (iii) has  received,  since  December  31,  1995,  no
                  notification or communication from any Governmental  Authority
                  (A) asserting that the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is
                  not in compliance  with any of the statutes,  regulations,  or
                  ordinances that such  Governmental  Authority  enforces or (B)
                  threatening  to revoke  any  license,  franchise,  permit,  or
                  governmental  authorization (nor, to the Company's  knowledge,
                  do any grounds for any of the foregoing exist).

          (j) Material Contracts; Defaults. The Company has Previously Disclosed
a complete and accurate  list of all material  Contracts to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party, including the following categories:

                           (i) any Contract  that (A) is not  terminable at will
                  both without cost or other  liability to the Company or any of
                  its  Subsidiaries  and upon notice of ninety (90) days or less
                  and (B) which provides for fees or other payments in excess of


                                      -24-

<PAGE>
                  $150,000 per annum or in excess of $300,000 for the remaining
                  term of the Contract;

                           (ii) any  Contract  with a term beyond the  Effective
                  Time  under  which  the  Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries
                  created,  incurred,  assumed,  or  guaranteed  (or may create,
                  incur,  assume, or guarantee)  indebtedness for borrowed money
                  (including capitalized lease obligations);

                           (iii)  any Contract restricting the conduct of 
                  business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

                           (iv) any  Contract to which the Company or any of its
                  Subsidiaries  is a party, on the one hand, and under which any
                  affiliate, officer, director, employee or equity holder of any
                  of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  on the other hand,
                  is a party or beneficiary;

                           (v) any  Contract  between  the Company or any of its
                  Subsidiaries  and any insurance  company which has  authorized
                  the  Company  or  any  of its  Subsidiaries  to  act  as  such
                  insurance  company's  representative  in the sale,  placement,
                  writing or administration of insurance;

                           (vi)  any Contract with respect to the employment of,
                  or payment to, any present or former directors, officers, 
                  employees or consultants;

                           (vii) any Contract  involving the purchase or sale of
                  assets with a book value  greater than  $300,000  entered into
                  since December 31, 1996; and

                           (viii) any Contract with respect to a warehouse  line
                  of  credit,  any Loan  Servicing  Agreement  and any  Investor
                  Commitment.

          Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries  nor, to the Company's
knowledge,  any other party  thereto is in default  under any such  Contract and
there has not occurred  any event that,  with the lapse of time or the giving of
notice or both, would constitute such a default.

          (k) Properties. Except as reserved against in the financial statements
filed in its SEC  Documents  on or before the date  hereof,  the Company and its
Subsidiaries  have good and marketable title, free and clear of all Liens (other
than  Liens  for  current  taxes  not  yet  delinquent)  to all of the  material
properties  and assets,  tangible or  intangible,  reflected  in such  financial
statements  as being owned by the Company and its  Subsidiaries  as of the dates
thereof. To the Company's knowledge, all buildings and all fixtures,  equipment,
and other property and assets which are material to its business on a


                                      -25-

<PAGE>



consolidated  basis and are held under leases or subleases by any of the Company
and its  Subsidiaries  are held under valid leases or subleases  enforceable  in
accordance with their respective terms (except as enforceability  may be limited
by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or other laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and to general equity principles).

          (l) Employee  Benefit  Plans.  (i) The Company's  Disclosure  Schedule
contains a complete list of all bonus, vacation, deferred compensation, pension,
retirement,  profit-sharing,  thrift, savings,  employee stock ownership,  stock
bonus,  stock purchase,  restricted stock,  stock  appreciation and stock option
plans, all employment or severance contracts, all medical,  dental,  disability,
severance,  health and life plans, all other employee benefit and fringe benefit
plans,  contracts  or  arrangements  and any  "change  of  control"  or  similar
provisions in any plan, contract or arrangement  maintained or contributed to by
the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  for the  benefit of  officers,  former
officers, employees, former employees, directors, former directors,  independent
contractors  or the  beneficiaries  of any of the foregoing  (collectively,  the
Company's  "Compensation and Benefit Plans").  Neither the Company Board nor any
executive  officers  of the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  has  taken or
initiated any formal action to create any additional  material  Compensation and
Benefit Plan or to modify or change any existing  Compensation  and Benefit Plan
in any material respect.

                  (ii) With respect to each  Compensation  and Benefit  Plan, if
         applicable,  the Company has  provided,  made  available,  or will make
         available  upon  request,  to  Acquiror,  true and  complete  copies of
         existing:  (A)  Compensation  and Benefit Plan documents and amendments
         thereto;  (B) trust instruments and insurance  contracts;  (C) two most
         recent  Forms 5500 filed with the IRS;  (D) the most  recent  actuarial
         report  and  financial  statement;  (E) the most  recent  summary  plan
         description;  (F) forms  filed with the PBGC  (other  than for  premium
         payments);  (G) the most recent determination letter issued by the IRS;
         (H) any Form 5310 or Form  5330  filed  with the IRS;  and (I) the most
         recent  nondiscrimination  tests  performed  under  ERISA  and the Code
         (including 401(k) and 401(m) tests).

                  (iii) Each of the Company's Compensation and Benefit Plans has
         been  administered  in  accordance  with  the  terms  thereof  and with
         applicable  law,  including  ERISA and the Code.  Each of the Company's
         Compensation  and Benefit Plans which is an "employee  pension  benefit
         plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA ("Pension  Plan") and
         which is intended to be qualified  under Section 401(a) of the Code has
         received a favorable  determination letter from the IRS, and, except as
         Previously  Disclosed,  the  Company is not aware of any  circumstances
         reasonably  likely to result  in the  revocation  or denial of any such
         favorable  determination  letter.  Neither  the  Company nor any of its
         Subsidiaries  has  engaged  in a  transaction,  or  omitted to take any
         action,  with respect to any  Compensation  and Benefit Plan that would
         reasonably be expected to


                                      -26-

<PAGE>
         subject  the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  to a tax or penalty
         imposed by either  Section  4975 of the Code or Section 502 of ERISA in
         an amount  which would be  material,  assuming  for purposes of Section
         4975 of the  Code  that the  taxable  period  of any  such  transaction
         expired as of the date hereof. There is no pending or, to the Company's
         knowledge,  threatened litigation or governmental audit, examination or
         investigation relating to the Company's Compensation and Benefit Plans.

                  (iv)  No  liability  under  Title  IV  of  ERISA  (other  than
         contributions and premiums  required in connection  therewith) has been
         or is  reasonably  expected to be incurred by the Company or any of its
         Subsidiaries  with respect to any  "single-employer  plan"  (within the
         meaning  of  Section  4001  (a)(15)  of  ERISA) or  Multiemployer  Plan
         currently or formerly maintained by any of them, or the single-employer
         plan or Multiemployer  Plan of any entity (an "ERISA  Affiliate") which
         currently is or formerly was  considered  one employer with the Company
         under Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code
         (an "ERISA Affiliate Plan").

                  (v)  Except  as  Previously   Disclosed,   all  contributions,
         premiums and payments required to have been made under the terms of any
         of the Company's  Compensation and Benefit Plans or applicable law have
         been timely made or reflected in the Company's SEC  Documents.  Neither
         any of the  Company's  Pension  Plans nor ERISA  Affiliate  Plan has an
         "accumulated  funding  deficiency"  (whether or not waived)  within the
         meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA. None of the
         Company,  any of its  Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate has provided,
         or is required to provide, security to, nor are there any circumstances
         requiring imposition of any lien on the assets of the Company or any of
         its  Subsidiaries  with  respect  to,  any  Pension  Plan or any  ERISA
         Affiliate Plan pursuant to ERISA or the Code. The Company's  Disclosure
         Schedule contains a list of all of the Company's ERISA Affiliate Plans.

                  (vi)  Under  each of the  Company's  Pension  Plans  and ERISA
         Affiliate Plans, to the Company's knowledge, there has been no material
         adverse change in the financial  condition of any Pension Plan or ERISA
         Affiliate  Plan (with respect to either  assets or benefits)  since the
         last day of the most recent plan year.

                  (vii) Except as Previously Disclosed,  neither the Company nor
         any of its Subsidiaries has any obligations  under any Compensation and
         Benefit Plan to provide benefits,  including death or medical benefits,
         with   respect   to  any  of  their   employees   (or  their   spouses,
         beneficiaries,   or   dependents)   beyond  the   retirement  or  other
         termination  of service of any such  employee  other than (A)  coverage
         mandated  by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or  Section  4980B of the Code,
         (B)  retirement or death benefits  under any employee  pension  benefit
         plan (as defined under Section 3(2) of ERISA), (C) disability  benefits
         under any employee  welfare  plan that have been fully  provided for by
         insurance or otherwise, or (D) benefits in the nature of severance pay.


                                      -27-

<PAGE>
                  (viii)  Except as set forth in the  Company's SEC Documents or
         as  Previously  Disclosed,  neither the  execution and delivery of this
         Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby
         including,  without  limitation,  as a  result  of any  termination  of
         employment prior to or following the Effective Time, will (A) result in
         any  increase  in  compensation  or  any  payment  (including,  without
         limitation,  severance,  unemployment compensation, golden parachute or
         otherwise)  becoming due to any current or former director,  officer or
         employee  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries   under  any
         Compensation  and Benefit Plan or otherwise  from the Company or any of
         its Subsidiaries, (B) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any
         Compensation and Benefit Plan, or (C) result in any acceleration of the
         time of payment or vesting of any such benefit.

                  (ix) The Company and its  Subsidiaries do not maintain any 
         Compensation and Benefit Plans covering foreign Employees who are not 
         residents of the United States.

          (m) Labor Matters.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
a party to or is bound by any collective  bargaining  Contract or  understanding
with a labor  union  or labor  organization,  nor is the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  the  subject  of a  proceeding  asserting  that  it  or  any  such
Subsidiary  has  committed an unfair labor  practice  (within the meaning of the
National  Labor  Relations  Act) or seeking  to compel  the  Company or any such
Subsidiary to bargain with any labor  organization  as to wages or conditions of
employment,  nor is there any strike or other labor dispute  involving it or any
of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the Company's knowledge,  threatened,  nor is
the  Company  aware of any  activity  involving  it or any of its  Subsidiaries'
employees  seeking to certify a collective  bargaining unit or engaging in other
organizational activity.

          (n)  Takeover  Laws.  The Company has taken all action  required to be
taken by it in order to exempt this Agreement and the transactions  contemplated
hereby from, and this  Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby are
exempt from, the requirements of any "moratorium," "control share," "fair price"
or other antitakeover laws and regulations of any state (collectively, "Takeover
Laws"), including,  without limitation the State of Delaware,  including Section
203 of the DGCL,  assuming  the  accuracy of the  representations  contained  in
Section 5.04(l) (without giving effect to the knowledge qualification thereof).

          (o) Company  Rights  Agreement.  There has  occurred no  "Distribution
Date" or "Stock  Acquisition Date" (as defined in the Company Rights Agreement).
The Company and the Rights Agent will have, no later than the first business day
after the date hereof, duly and validly amended the Company Rights Agreement, by
executing and delivering an amendment in substantially the form of Exhibit B.



                                      -28-

<PAGE>
          (p)   Environmental   Matters.   (i)  The  Company  and  each  of  its
Subsidiaries has complied at all times with applicable  Environmental Laws; (ii)
no property (including buildings and any other structures) currently or formerly
owned or  operated  by the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or in which the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries has a Lien, has been  contaminated  with, or
has had any release of, any Hazardous Substance except as Previously  Disclosed;
(iii)  neither the  Company  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  would  reasonably  be
expected to be ruled to be the owner or operator under any  Environmental Law of
any property in which it has currently or formerly held a Lien; (iv) neither the
Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is subject to liability  for any Hazardous
Substance  disposal or  contamination  on any other  third-party  property;  (v)
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice,  demand
letter, claim or request for information alleging any violation of, or liability
under,  any  Environmental  Law;  (vi)  neither  the  Company  nor  any  of  its
Subsidiaries is subject to any order, decree, injunction or other agreement with
any Governmental Authority or any third party relating to any Environmental Law;
(vii)  the  Company,  which  does not  perform  an  environmental  review of the
mortgaged  property  at the  time  of  Loan  Origination,  is not  aware  of any
circumstances  or conditions  involving the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,
any currently or formerly  owned or operated  property,  or any Lien held by the
Company  or  any  of its  Subsidiaries  (including  the  presence  of  asbestos,
underground  storage  tanks,  lead  products,  polychlorinated  biphenyls or gas
station  sites)  that would  reasonably  be  expected  to result in any  claims,
liability or investigations or result in any restrictions on the ownership, use,
or transfer of any property  pursuant to any  Environmental  Law; and (viii) the
Company has  delivered  to the  Acquiror  copies of all  environmental  reports,
studies,  sampling  data,   correspondence,   filings  and  other  environmental
information  in its  possession  or  reasonably  available to it relating to the
Company,  any of its  Subsidiaries,  any currently or formerly owned or operated
property or any  property in which the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  has
held a Lien.

          (q) Tax Matters. (i) All returns,  declarations,  reports,  estimates,
information  returns  and  statements  required  to be  filed on or  before  the
Effective  Date  under  federal,  state,  local or any  foreign  tax laws  ("Tax
Returns") with respect to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  have been or
will be timely filed, or requests for extensions have been timely filed and have
not  expired;  (ii)  all Tax  Returns  filed by the  Company  are  complete  and
accurate; (iii) all Taxes shown to be due and payable (without regard to whether
such Taxes have been  assessed)  on such Tax Returns  have been paid or adequate
reserves have been  established for the payment of such Taxes; and (iv) no audit
or  examination or refund  litigation  with respect to any Tax Return is pending
or, to the Company's knowledge, has been threatened.

          (r) Risk  Management.  All swaps,  caps,  floors,  option  agreements,
futures and forward  contracts and other similar risk  management  arrangements,
whether entered into for the Company's own account, or for the account of one or
more of the Company's


                                      -29-

<PAGE>
Subsidiaries  or their  customers,  were  entered  into (i) in  accordance  with
prudent  business  practices and all applicable  laws,  rules,  regulations  and
regulatory  policies  and (ii) with  counterparties  believed to be  financially
responsible  at the time;  and each of them  constitutes  the valid and  legally
binding  obligation of the Company or one of its  Subsidiaries,  enforceable  in
accordance with its terms (except as enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium,  fraudulent  transfer and
similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights
or by general equity principles),  and are in full force and effect. Neither the
Company nor its  Subsidiaries,  nor to the  Company's  knowledge any other party
thereto,  is in breach of any of its  obligations  under any such  agreement  or
arrangement.

          (s) Names and Trademarks. The Company (or one of its Subsidiaries) has
the right to use the names, service-marks and trademarks Previously Disclosed in
Section  5.03(s) of its  Disclosure  Letter in each state of the United  States,
free and clear of any Liens,  and no other person has the right to use such name
in any such state.

          (t) Mortgage Banking Business.  (i) Licenses and  Qualifications.  The
Company (or any Subsidiary of it that services or originates  Loans, as the case
may be) (A) is an approved (1) HUD mortgagee and servicer for FHA-insured loans,
(2)  lender  and  servicer  for  VA-insured   loans,  (3)   seller/servicer   of
one-to-four-family  first and second  mortgages  for FNMA and FHLMC and (4) GNMA
issuer and servicer of GNMA- guaranteed mortgage-backed  securities, (B) has all
other  certifications,  authorizations,  licenses,  permits and other  approvals
necessary to conduct its current  business,  (C) is in good  standing  under all
applicable federal,  state and local laws and regulations thereunder as a lender
and servicer and (D) is in good standing with all  authorities and servicers for
the state bond programs in which it participates.  As of the date hereof,  there
is no  pending  or,  to the  Company's  knowledge,  threatened  cancellation  or
reduction of any Investor  Commitment  or other loan sale  Contract to which the
Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a  party,  and the  obligations  of the
Company  and  each of its  Subsidiaries  under  each  such  Contract  are  being
performed by the Company or such  Subsidiary,  as the case may be, in accordance
with its  terms.  The  Company  has no reason to believe  that the  underwriting
waivers from FNMA and FHLMC, under current agreements with the Company,  will be
restricted  or rescinded,  or that the guarantee  fees payable to FNMA and FHLMC
will be  increased  as a result of the  Company's  or its  Subsidiaries'  credit
performance,  or that  the  Company  or its  Subsidiaries  will  suffer a forced
reduction of the master commitment amount relating to FNMA or FHLMC purchases or
swaps of loans, nor has any such restriction,  rescission, increase or reduction
occurred at any time since December 31, 1995.

                  (ii) Title to Loans. All loans held for the Company's account,
         whether  or not  for  future  sale  or  delivery  to an  investor  (the
         "Warehouse  Loans"),  are  owned by the  Company  free and clear of any
         Lien, other than Liens in favor of the Company's lender


                                      -30-

<PAGE>
         banks   pursuant  to  warehouse   lines  of  credit  and  forward  sale
         commitments  or similar  agreements to sell any such loans to investors
         in the ordinary  course,  and all Warehouse Loans meet all requirements
         for sale to the  intended  investors.  Each  mortgage  or deed of trust
         securing a  Warehouse  Loan has been duly  recorded  or  submitted  for
         recordation in due course in the appropriate  filing office in the name
         of the Company or one of its  Subsidiaries  as  mortgagee.  Neither the
         Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has released any security for any
         Warehouse  Loan,  except upon receipt of reasonable  consideration  for
         such release (as documented in the applicable  Loan file),  or accepted
         prepayment  of any such  Warehouse  Loan  which  has not been  promptly
         applied to such Warehouse Loan.

                  (iii)  Compliance.  Each Warehouse Loan and each loan which is
         being  serviced  by the  Company  or one of its  Subsidiaries  for  the
         account  of  others  (the  "Serviced  Loans",  and  together  with  the
         Warehouse Loans, the "Loans") was underwritten and originated,  and the
         loan  documents  and  loan  files  maintained  by  the  Company  or its
         Subsidiaries  with respect thereto are being  maintained by the Company
         or such  Subsidiaries,  in  compliance  with  all  applicable  laws and
         regulations  and,  if  applicable,  the  requirements  of the  Investor
         acquiring  such Loan (or, if there is no such  Investor,  in accordance
         with the  Company's  underwriting  standards  then in  effect)  and the
         requirements  of each  Insurer  of such  Loan  (if any) in  effect  and
         applicable at the time such insurance was obtained. The Company and its
         Subsidiaries  have not done or  failed  to do,  or caused to be done or
         omitted  to be done,  any act,  the  effect of which  would  operate to
         invalidate or materially  impair (i) any approvals of any Agency or the
         FHA  to  insure,  (ii)  any VA  guarantee  or  commitment  of the VA to
         guarantee,  (iii) any private  mortgage  insurance or commitment of any
         private  mortgage insurer to insure,  (iv) any title insurance  policy,
         (v) any hazard insurance policy, (vi) any flood insurance policy, (vii)
         any fidelity  bond,  direct surety bond,  errors and omissions or other
         insurance  policy required by any Agency,  Investor or Insurer,  (viii)
         any surety or guaranty  agreement,  (ix) any  guaranty  issued by GNMA,
         FNMA or  FHLMC to the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  respecting
         mortgage  backed  securities  issued  by  the  Company  or  any  of its
         Subsidiaries and other like guarantees or (x) the rights of the Company
         or any of its  Subsidiaries  under  any  Loan  Servicing  Agreement  or
         Investor  Commitment.  No Agency,  Investor  or Insurer has (i) claimed
         that the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  have violated or have not
         complied  on  a  recurring  basis  with  the  applicable   underwriting
         standards  with  respect  to Loans  sold by the  Company  or any of its
         Subsidiaries  to an  Investor  or  (ii)  imposed  restrictions  on  the
         activities  (including  commitment  authority) of the Company or any of
         its Subsidiaries.

                  (iv)  Loan  Files.  The  loan  documents  relating  to a  Loan
         maintained in the loan files of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  were
         in compliance  with all applicable  laws and regulations at the time of
         the  origination,  assumption or modification of such Loan, as the case
         may be. The loan files  maintained by the Company and its  Subsidiaries
         contain  originals  (or,  where   necessitated  by  the  terms  of  the
         applicable mortgage servicing


                                      -31-

<PAGE>
         agreements, contain true, correct and complete copies) of the documents
         relating to each Loan and the information  contained in such loan files
         with  respect to each such Loan is true,  complete  and accurate and in
         compliance  with all  applicable  laws and  regulations.  Except as set
         forth in the loan documents  relating to a Loan  maintained in the loan
         files of the Company or its Subsidiaries,  the terms of the note, bond,
         deed of trust and mortgage  for each such Loan have not been  impaired,
         waived,  altered  or  modified  in any  respect  from the date of their
         origination except by a written instrument which written instrument has
         been  recorded,   or  submitted  for  recordation  in  due  course,  if
         recordation is necessary to protect the interests of the owner thereof.
         The substance of any such waiver,  alteration or modification  has been
         communicated  to and approved by (A) the relevant  Investor and Insurer
         (if any), to the extent  required by the relevant  Investor and Insurer
         requirements,  and (B) the title Insurer, to the extent required by the
         relevant  policies,  and the terms of any such  waiver,  alteration  or
         modification  are reflected in the loan documents.  Except as set forth
         in the loan  documents  maintained  in the loan files by the Company or
         its Subsidiaries,  no mortgagor has been released from such mortgagor's
         obligations with respect to the applicable Loan.

                  (v) Loan Servicing  Agreements.  All of the Contracts pursuant
         to which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  has the right  and/or
         obligation to service loans (each, a "Loan  Servicing  Agreement")  are
         (A) valid and binding  obligations  of the Company or such  Subsidiary,
         and to the knowledge of the Company,  of all the other parties thereto,
         (B) in full force and effect,  (C) enforceable in accordance with their
         terms (except where  enforcement  thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
         insolvency  or  other  similar  laws   affecting  the   enforcement  of
         creditors'  rights generally and by general equity  principles) and (D)
         owned by the  Company  or such  Subsidiary  free and clear of any Lien,
         except  pursuant  to  the  loan  and  security  agreements   Previously
         Disclosed in the Company's Disclosure Schedule.  There is no default by
         the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or claim of default against the
         Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  by any party  under any such Loan
         Servicing   Agreement,   and,  except  for  the   consummation  of  the
         transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement,  no event has  occurred
         which  with the  passage  of time or the giving of notice or both would
         constitute  a  default  by any  party  under  any such  Loan  Servicing
         Agreement  or would  result in any such  mortgage  servicing  agreement
         being  terminable by any party thereto.  There is no pending or, to the
         knowledge of the Company, threatened cancellation of any Loan Servicing
         Agreement and the obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
         under each Loan Servicing  Agreement are being performed by the Company
         or such  Subsidiary in accordance  with the terms of such Agreement and
         applicable  rules or regulations.  The Company and its Subsidiaries are
         not subservicers with respect to any of the Serviced Loans.

                  (vi)     No Recourse.  None of the Company's or any of its
         Subsidiaries' servicing rights are subject to recourse against the 
         servicer, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject
         to recourse in connection with any Loans sold by it, in each case


                                      -32-

<PAGE>
         for losses on  liquidation of a loan,  borrower  defaults or repurchase
         obligations  upon the occurrence of non-payment or other events,  other
         than  events  entitling  Investors  to request a  repurchase  of a loan
         because of alleged breaches of customary representations and warranties
         relating to the origination or servicing thereof.

                  (vii) Escrow Account. Unless otherwise prohibited by law or an
         executed  escrow waiver,  the Company or its  Subsidiaries  collect all
         escrows  related  to the  Loans,  and all  escrow  accounts  have  been
         maintained  by the  Company,  its  Subsidiaries  and, to the  Company's
         knowledge,  all prior  servicers  in  accordance  with the related loan
         documents, all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and requirements of
         Investors,  Insurers and  Governmental  Authorities,  and in accordance
         with the applicable Loan Servicing Agreements. The Company has credited
         to the account of  borrowers  all  interest  required to be paid on any
         escrow account in accordance  with applicable law and the terms of such
         agreements  and loan  documents.  All escrow,  custodial,  and suspense
         accounts   related  to  the  Loans  are  held  in  the   Company's  (or
         Subsidiary's) name or the investor's name by the Company.

                  (viii) Advances.  There are no servicing or other Contracts to
         which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which obligates
         any of them to make  servicing  advances  for  principal  and  interest
         payments with respect to defaulted or delinquent  Loans other than in a
         manner as provided  in standard  and  customary  agreements  with FNMA,
         FHLMC or GNMA.  To the extent  made,  any such  advances  are valid and
         subsisting amounts owing to the Company or its Subsidiary,  as the case
         may  be,  subject  to  the  terms  of  the  applicable  Loan  Servicing
         Agreement.

                  (ix)  Single  Family  Loans.  All of the Loans are  secured by
         single family (i.e., one to four family)  residential real property or,
         to the extent  that a Loan is secured by  property  other than a single
         family residential property,  such Loan is not a Warehouse Loan and has
         not been sold to any  person  where  either  the  Company or any of its
         Subsidiaries has any recourse obligation.

                  (x) ARM  Adjustments.  With respect to each Loan for which the
         interest rate is not fixed for the entire term of the loan, the Company
         or its  Subsidiaries,  as the  case  may be,  has,  since  the  date it
         commenced  servicing  such loan and, to the  Company's  knowledge,  all
         prior  servicers  have (A)  properly  and  accurately  entered into its
         system all data  required  to service the loan in  accordance  with the
         related loan documents and all regulations, (B) properly and accurately
         adjusted  the monthly  payment on each  payment  adjustment  date,  (C)
         properly and accurately  calculated the  amortization  of principal and
         interest on each payment  adjustment  date,  in each case in compliance
         with all applicable  laws,  rules and  regulations and the related loan
         documents, and (D) executed and delivered any and all necessary notices
         required under, and in a form that complies with,


                                      -33-

<PAGE>
         all applicable laws, rules and regulations and the terms of the related
         loan documents regarding the interest rate and payment adjustments.

                  (xi) Pools. Each Loan included in a Pool meets all eligibility
         requirements   (including,    without   limitation,    all   applicable
         requirements  for obtaining  mortgage  insurance  certificates and loan
         guaranty  certificates)  for inclusion in such Pool.  All of such Pools
         have been finally certified or, if required,  recertified in accordance
         with all applicable laws, rules and regulations,  except where the time
         for  certification or  recertification  has not expired.  No Pools have
         been  improperly  certified.  The loan file for each Loan included in a
         Pool  contains all documents  and  instruments  necessary for the final
         certification or  recertification of such Pool. No Loan has been bought
         out of a Pool  without all  required  prior  written  approvals  of the
         applicable Investors. Neither the execution, delivery or performance of
         this  Agreement by the Company nor the  consummation  by the Company of
         the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  will  require  any  Pool to be
         recertified.  The aggregate unpaid principal balance outstanding of the
         Loans in each Pool equals or exceeds the amount owing to the applicable
         Investors.

                  (xii)    Securitization Transactions.

                           (A) The  Company  and  each of its  Subsidiaries,  as
                  servicer under the applicable Loan Servicing  Agreement,  (the
                  "Securitization  Servicer")  of each  outstanding  transaction
                  under which the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  have sold
                  or pledged Loans in a  securitization,  whether sold under the
                  Securities Act or otherwise (a "Securitization  Transaction"),
                  has  complied in all  material  respects  with all  Contracts,
                  including the Loan Servicing Agreements, and all conditions to
                  be performed or satisfied by it with respect to all agreements
                  and arrangements  pursuant to which such person is bound under
                  such Securitization Transaction (collectively, "Securitization
                  Instruments").

                           (B) No  Securitization  Servicer or, to the Company's
                  knowledge,   no  trustee  or  issuer   with   respect  to  any
                  Securitization  has taken any action which would reasonably be
                  expected  to  adversely  affect  the  characterization  or tax
                  treatment for federal,  state or local income or franchise tax
                  purposes  of  the  issuer  or  any  securities   issued  in  a
                  Securitization  Transaction,  and all required federal,  state
                  and  local  tax  and  information   returns  relating  to  any
                  Securitization Transaction have been properly filed.

                           (C)  Each  representation  and  warranty  made by the
                  Company  or  any  of  its   Subsidiaries   in  each  "Purchase
                  Agreement,"  "Pooling  and  Servicing  Agreement,"  "Placement
                  Agency Agreement," "Servicer's  Indemnification Agreement" and
                  any other Securitization Instrument to which any of them was a
                  party in any  Securitization  Transaction was true and correct
                  in all material


                                      -34-

<PAGE>
                  respects  whenever  made or  reaffirmed by any of them and the
                  Company and each of its Subsidiaries have each fully performed
                  and carried out each  covenant  and  agreement  made by any of
                  them in any such Securitization Instrument.

                           (D) No rating  agency  has  downgraded,  or given the
                  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  any indication that it is
                  considering  a  downgrading  of any  securities  issued in any
                  Securitization   Transaction,   or  of  its   rating   of  any
                  Securitization Servicer.

                  (xiii) Mortgage Insurance. Each Loan which is indicated in the
         related  loan  documents  to have FHA  insurance  is insured  under the
         National  Housing Act or qualifies for such insurance.  Each Loan which
         is indicated in the related loan  documents to be  guaranteed by the VA
         is  guaranteed  under the  provisions  of Chapter 37 of Title 38 of the
         United States Code to the extent required by the applicable Investor or
         qualifies for such  guarantee.  As to each FHA  insurance  certificate,
         each VA guarantee certificate,  and each Loan which is indicated in the
         related  loan file to be  insured by private  mortgage  insurance,  the
         Company has complied  with  applicable  provisions  of the insurance or
         guarantee  contract and applicable laws and regulations,  the insurance
         or  guarantee  is in full  force and effect  with  respect to each such
         Loan,  and to the  knowledge of the  Company,  there does not exist any
         event or condition  which, but for the passage of time or the giving of
         notice or both,  can result in a  revocation  of any such  insurance or
         guarantee or constitute  adequate grounds for the applicable Insurer to
         refuse to provide insurance or guarantee payments thereunder.

                  (xiv)  Taxes and  Insurance.  Each Loan has been  covered by a
         policy of hazard insurance and flood insurance,  to the extent required
         by the Loan Servicing  Agreements  relating thereto or any laws, rules,
         regulations  or Investor  or Insurer  requirements  applicable  to such
         Loan, all in a form usual and customary in the industry and which is in
         full force and  effect,  and all  amounts  due and  payable  under each
         policy have been,  or will be, paid prior to the date such payments are
         due;  and all  taxes,  assessments,  ground  rents or other  applicable
         charges or fees due and payable as to each Loan have been,  or will be,
         paid prior to the date such  payments are due. Any and all claims under
         such insurance policies have been submitted and processed in accordance
         with  the  applicable  Investor's  and  Insurer's  requirements.   Such
         insurance  policies  name the Company (or a  Subsidiary  of it) and its
         successors and assigns as mortgagee.

                  (xv) Title Insurance. To the extent required by the applicable
         Investor,  each Loan is covered  by an ALTA  lender's  title  insurance
         policy  or other  generally  acceptable  form of  policy  of  insurance
         acceptable  to the  relevant  Investor,  and each such title  insurance
         policy is issued by an Insurer  acceptable to the  applicable  Investor
         and qualified to do business in the  jurisdiction  where the collateral
         securing  such Loan is  located,  and insures  the  originator  and its
         successors and assigns as to the first priority lien of the


                                      -35-

<PAGE>
         mortgage in the original  principal amount of the Loan (or, in the case
         of a  second  mortgage,  the  second  priority  lien).  The  applicable
         Investor, as assignee of the originator's rights, is an insured of such
         lender's title  insurance  policy,  and such lender's policy is in full
         force and effect.  Neither the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge,
         any prior servicer has performed any act or omission which would impair
         the coverage of such lender's policy.

                  (xvi)  Condemnation.  The  Company has no notice of and has no
         knowledge of any  proceeding  pending or threatened  for the partial or
         total condemnation of any of the collateral  securing any of the Loans,
         and the Company has no notice or knowledge that all or any part of such
         collateral has been or will be condemned.

                  (xvii)  Tape.  The Company  has  previously  delivered  to the
         Acquiror a tape (magnetic media) on which certain information regarding
         the servicing  portfolio of the Company and its  Subsidiaries as of May
         31, 1997 is recorded.  Such tape completely and accurately contains the
         list of  serviced  loans  as of such  date.  The  loan  characteristics
         recorded  on  such  tape  have  been  Previously  Disclosed,   and  the
         information contained on such tape is complete and accurate.

                  (u) Books and  Records.  The books and  records of the Company
         and  its  Subsidiaries   have  been  fully,   properly  and  accurately
         maintained  in  all  material  respects,  and  there  are  no  material
         inaccuracies  or  discrepancies  of any  kind  contained  or  reflected
         therein,  and they fairly present the financial position of the Company
         and its Subsidiaries.  None of the records, systems,  controls, data or
         information of the Company and its Subsidiaries  are recorded,  stored,
         maintained, operated or otherwise wholly or partly dependent on or held
         by any means  (including  any  electronic,  mechanical or  photographic
         process,  whether  computerized  or not) which  (including all means of
         access thereto and therefrom) are not under the exclusive ownership and
         direct  control  of the  Company  or its  Subsidiaries  or  accountants
         retained by the Company or its Subsidiaries.

                  (v) Insurance.  The Company's  Disclosure  Schedule sets forth
         all of the  insurance  policies,  binders,  or bonds  maintained by the
         Company or its Subsidiaries ("Insurance Policies"). The Company and its
         Subsidiaries are insured with reputable insurers against such risks and
         in  such  amounts  as the  management  of the  Company  reasonably  has
         determined to be prudent in accordance with industry practices.  All of
         the  Insurance  Policies are in full force and effect;  the Company and
         its Subsidiaries are not in material default thereunder; and all claims
         thereunder have been filed in due and timely fashion.

                  (w)  No Brokers.  No action has been taken by the Company
         that would give  rise to any valid claim against any party hereto for a
         brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment with respect 
         to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,


                                      -36-

<PAGE>
         excluding a fee to be paid by the Company to Morgan Stanley & Co. 
         Incorporated in an amount and on terms Previously Disclosed.

                  (x) Ownership of Acquiror Common Stock. As of the date hereof,
         neither the Company nor, to its  knowledge,  any of its  affiliates  or
         associates  (as such  terms are  defined  under the  Exchange  Act) (i)
         beneficially  owns,  directly  or  indirectly,  or (ii) is party to any
         agreement,  arrangement or understanding  for the purpose of acquiring,
         holding,  voting or disposing of, in each case, any outstanding  shares
         of  Acquiror  Common  Stock  (other  than  shares  held in a bona  fide
         fiduciary  capacity or in satisfaction of a debt previously  contracted
         in good faith).

                  (y) Disclosure.  The representations and warranties  contained
         in this Section 5.03 do not contain any untrue  statement of a material
         fact or omit to state any material fact  necessary in order to make the
         statements  contained  in  this  Section  5.03,  in  the  light  of the
         circumstances in which they are being made, not misleading.  The copies
         of all  documents  furnished to the  Acquiror,  the Bank and Merger Sub
         hereunder are true and complete copies of the originals thereof.

                  5.04  Representations and Warranties of the Acquiror.  Subject
to Sections 5.01 and 5.02 and except as  Previously  Disclosed in a paragraph of
its Disclosure  Schedule  corresponding  to the relevant  paragraph  below,  the
Acquiror hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

          (a) Organization,  Standing and Authority.  Each of the Acquiror,  the
Bank and Merger Sub is duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good  standing
under  the  laws  of the  jurisdiction  of its  organization,  and  each is duly
qualified to do business and is in good standing in the jurisdictions  where its
ownership  or  leasing of  property  or assets or the  conduct  of its  business
requires it to be so qualified.

          (b) Acquiror Stock. (i) As of the date hereof,  the authorized capital
stock of the Acquiror  consists solely of 200,000,000  shares of Acquiror Common
Stock,  of which  103,726,095  shares were  outstanding  as of May 31, 1997, and
40,000,000  shares  of  Acquiror   Preferred  Stock,  of  which  no  shares  are
outstanding  as of the  date  hereof.  As of the  date  hereof,  other  than the
Acquiror Rights and except as set forth in its Disclosure Schedule, there are no
shares of Acquiror Stock authorized and reserved for issuance, the Acquiror does
not have any Rights issued or outstanding  with respect to Acquiror  Stock,  and
the  Acquiror  does not  have any  commitment  to  authorize,  issue or sell any
Acquiror  Stock or Rights,  except  pursuant  to this  Agreement.  The number of
shares of Acquiror  Common  Stock which are  issuable  and reserved for issuance
upon exercise of any employee or director  stock  options to purchase  shares of
Acquiror  Common Stock,  and the number and terms of any Rights,  as of the date
hereof, are Previously Disclosed in the Acquiror's Disclosure Schedule.


                                      -37-

<PAGE>
                  (ii) The  shares  of  Acquiror  Common  Stock to be  issued as
         Consideration,  when  issued  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of this
         Agreement,  will be duly  authorized,  validly  issued,  fully paid and
         nonassessable.

          (c) Subsidiaries.  Each of the Acquiror's Significant Subsidiaries has
been duly organized and is validly  existing and in good standing under the laws
of the  jurisdiction of its  organization,  and is duly qualified to do business
and in good  standing in the  jurisdictions  where its  ownership  or leasing of
property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified.

          (d)  Corporate  Power.  The  Acquiror  and  each  of  its  Significant
Subsidiaries  has the corporate  power and authority to carry on its business as
it is now being conducted and to own all its properties and assets;  each of the
Acquiror and the Bank has the corporate power and authority to execute,  deliver
and  perform  its  obligations  under  this  Agreement  and  to  consummate  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby;  and Merger Sub has the corporate  power and
authority to execute,  deliver and perform its obligations  under this Agreement
and  to  consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  

          (e)  Corporate   Authority.   This  Agreement  and  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby have been authorized by all requisite  corporate  action on
the part of  Acquiror,  the Bank and Merger Sub.  This  Agreement is a valid and
legally binding  agreement of each of the Acquiror,  the Bank and Merger Sub, in
each case enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as enforceability may
be limited by applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium,
fraudulent  transfer  and similar laws of general  applicability  relating to or
affecting creditors' rights or by general equity principles).

          (f) Regulatory  Approvals;  No Defaults.  (i) No consents or approvals
of, or filings or  registrations  with, any  Governmental  Authority or with any
third party are  required  to be made or obtained by the  Acquiror or any of its
Subsidiaries  in connection  with the execution,  delivery or performance by the
Acquiror,  the Bank or Merger Sub of this  Agreement or to consummate the Merger
except  for (A) the  filing  of a notice  under the HSR Act,  (B) the  filing of
applications and notices, as applicable, with the OTS and the FDIC; (C) approval
of the  listing  on the NYSE of the  Acquiror  Common  Stock to be issued in the
Merger  (and  related  Acquiror  Rights);  (D) the  filing  and  declaration  of
effectiveness of the Registration Statement;  (E) the filing of a certificate of
merger  with the  Secretary  of State of the State of  Delaware  pursuant to the
DGCL;  and (F) such  filings  as are  required  to be made or  approvals  as are
required  to be  obtained  under the  securities  or "Blue  Sky" laws of various
states in connection  with the issuance of Acquiror  Common Stock in the Merger.
As of the date hereof, the Acquiror is not aware of any reason why the approvals
of  all  Governmental  Authorities  necessary  to  permit  consummation  of  the
transactions  contemplated hereby will not be received without the imposition of
a condition or requirement described in Section 7.01(b).


                                      -38-

<PAGE>
                           (ii) Subject to receipt of the regulatory  approvals,
         and  expiration  of the waiting  periods,  referred to in the preceding
         paragraph  and the making of all  required  filings  under  federal and
         state securities laws, the execution,  delivery and performance of this
         Agreement and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby
         do not and will not (A)  constitute  a breach  or  violation  of,  or a
         default under,  or give rise to any Lien, any  acceleration of remedies
         or any right of termination  under,  any law, rule or regulation or any
         judgment, decree, order, governmental permit or license, or Contract of
         the Acquiror or of any of its  Subsidiaries or to which the Acquiror or
         any  of its  Subsidiaries  or  properties  is  subject  or  bound,  (B)
         constitute  a  breach  or  violation  of,  or  a  default  under,   the
         certificate  of   incorporation   or  by-laws  (or  similar   governing
         documents) of the Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries,  or (C) require
         any consent or approval under any such law, rule, regulation, judgment,
         decree, order, governmental permit or license, agreement,  indenture or
         instrument.

          (g) SEC Documents;  Financial  Statements.  (i) The Acquiror's  Annual
Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal  years ended  December  31,  1994,  1995 and
1996,  and  all  other  reports,   registration  statements,   definitive  proxy
statements or information statements filed or to be filed by the Acquiror or any
of its Subsidiaries subsequent to December 31, 1994 under the Securities Act, or
under Sections 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in the form filed
or to be filed  (collectively,  the "Acquiror's SEC Documents") with the SEC, as
of the date filed,  (A) complied or will comply in all  material  respects as to
form with the applicable  requirements  under the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act,  as the case may be,  and (B) did not (or if  amended  or  superseded  by a
filing prior to the date of this Agreement,  then as of the date of such filing)
and will not contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not
misleading;  and each of the balance  sheets  contained  in or  incorporated  by
reference into any such SEC Document  (including the related notes and schedules
thereto) fairly presents,  or will fairly present, the financial position of the
Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  as of its date,  and each of the  statements  of
income  and  changes  in  stockholders'  equity  and cash  flows  or  equivalent
statements  in such SEC  Documents  (including  any related  notes and schedules
thereto) fairly  presents,  or will fairly  present,  the results of operations,
changes in  stockholders'  equity and changes in cash flows, as the case may be,
of the Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  for the periods to which they relate,  in
each  case  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted   accounting   principles
consistently applied during the periods involved,  except in each case as may be
noted  therein,  subject to normal  year-end  audit  adjustments  in the case of
unaudited statements.

                  (ii) Since  December 31,  1996,  on a  consolidated  basis the
         Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  have not incurred any  liability  other
         than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.


                                      -39-

<PAGE>



                  (iii)  Since  December  31,  1996,  no event has  occurred  or
         circumstance arisen that, individually or taken together with all other
         facts,  circumstances and events (described in any paragraph of Section
         5.04 or  otherwise),  is reasonably  likely to have a Material  Adverse
         Effect with respect to the Acquiror.

          (h) Litigation;  Regulatory Action. (i) Other than as set forth in its
SEC Documents filed on or before the date hereof, no litigation,  claim or other
proceeding before any Governmental  Authority is pending against the Acquiror or
any of its Subsidiaries  and, to the Acquiror's  knowledge,  no such litigation,
claim or other proceeding has been threatened.

                  (ii)  Neither  the  Acquiror  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  or
         properties is a party to or is subject to any order, decree, agreement,
         memorandum  of  understanding  or  similar   arrangement   with,  or  a
         commitment   letter  or  similar   submission   to,  or   extraordinary
         supervisory  letter from the FDIC or the OTS,  nor has the  Acquiror or
         any of its  Subsidiaries  been advised by the FDIC or the OTS that such
         agency is  contemplating  issuing or requesting (or is considering  the
         appropriateness  of  issuing or  requesting)  any such  order,  decree,
         agreement, memorandum of understanding,  commitment letter, supervisory
         letter or similar submission.

                  (i)      Compliance with Laws.  The Acquiror and each of its 
                  Subsidiaries:

                           (i) in the conduct of its business,  is in compliance
                  with  all  applicable   federal,   state,  local  and  foreign
                  statutes,  laws,  regulations,  ordinances,  rules, judgments,
                  orders  or  decrees  applicable  thereto  or to the  employees
                  conducting such businesses, including, without limitation, the
                  Equal  Credit  Opportunity  Act,  the Fair  Housing  Act,  the
                  Community  Reinvestment Act, the Home Mortgage  Disclosure Act
                  and all other  applicable  fair  lending  laws and other  laws
                  relating to discriminatory business practices;

                           (ii)  has  all  permits,  licenses,   authorizations,
                  orders  and   approvals   of,   and  has  made  all   filings,
                  applications   and   registrations   with,  all   Governmental
                  Authorities  that are  required  in order  to  permit  them to
                  conduct their businesses substantially as presently conducted;
                  all such permits, licenses,  certificates of authority, orders
                  and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the best of
                  its knowledge, no suspension or cancellation of any of them is
                  threatened; and

                           (iii) has  received,  since  December  31,  1995,  no
                  notification or communication from any Governmental  Authority
                  (A) asserting that the Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries is
                  not in  compliance  with any of the statutes,  regulations  or
                  ordinances  that such  Governmental  Authority  enforces;  (B)
                  threatening  to  revoke  any  license,  franchise,  permit  or
                  governmental authorization or


                                      -40-

<PAGE>
                  (C) threatening or contemplating  revocation or limitation of,
                  or which would have the effect of revoking  or  limiting,  the
                  FDIC  deposit  insurance of the Bank (nor,  to the  Acquiror's
                  knowledge, do any grounds for any of the foregoing exist).

          (j) No Brokers.  No action has been taken by the  Acquiror  that would
give  rise  to  any  valid  claim  against  any  party  hereto  for a  brokerage
commission,  finder's fee or other like payment with respect to the transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement,  excluding a fee to be paid by the Acquiror to
Salomon Brothers Inc.

          (k) Employee  Benefit Plans.  (i) Each of the Acquiror's  Compensation
and Benefit Plans has been administered in accordance with the terms thereof and
with  applicable  law,  including  ERISA  and the Code.  Each of the  Acquiror's
Pension Plans which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
has  received a  favorable  determination  letter from the IRS,  and,  except as
Previously Disclosed,  the Acquiror is not aware of any circumstances reasonably
likely to result in the revocation or denial of any such favorable determination
letter.  There  is no  pending  or,  to  the  Acquiror's  knowledge,  threatened
litigation or governmental audit,  examination or investigation  relating to the
Acquiror's Compensation and Benefit Plans.

                  (ii)  No  liability  under  Title  IV  of  ERISA  (other  than
         contributions and premiums  required in connection  therewith) has been
         or is reasonably  expected to be incurred by the Acquiror or any of its
         Subsidiaries  with respect to any  "single-employer  plan"  (within the
         meaning  of  Section  4001  (a)(15)  of  ERISA) or  Multiemployer  Plan
         currently or formerly maintained by any of them, or the single-employer
         plan or Multiemployer Plan of any ERISA Affiliate.

                  (iii)  Except  as  Previously  Disclosed,  all  contributions,
         premiums and payments required to have been made under the terms of any
         of the Acquiror's Compensation and Benefit Plans or applicable law have
         been timely made or reflected in the Acquiror's SEC Documents.  Neither
         any of the Acquiror's Pension Plans nor any ERISA Affiliate Plan of the
         Acquiror  or any  of  its  Subsidiaries  has  an  "accumulated  funding
         deficiency"  (whether or not waived)  within the meaning of Section 412
         of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.  None of the Acquiror,  any of its
         Subsidiaries  or any ERISA  Affiliate has  provided,  or is required to
         provide,  security to, nor are there any  circumstances  requiring  the
         imposition  of a  lien  on the  assets  of  the  Company  or any of its
         Subsidiaries  with  respect  to,  any  Pension  Plan  or to  any  ERISA
         Affiliate Plan pursuant to ERISA or the Code.

                  (iv)  Under  each of the  Acquiror's  Pension  Plans and ERISA
         Affiliate  Plans,  to the  Acquiror's  knowledge,  there  has  been  no
         material adverse change in the financial  condition of any Pension Plan
         or ERISA  Affiliate  Plan (with  respect to either  assets or benefits)
         since the last day of the most recent plan year.


                                      -41-

<PAGE>
                  (v) Except as Previously  Disclosed,  neither the Acquiror nor
         any  of  its  Subsidiaries  has  any  obligations  under  any  Acquiror
         Compensation and Benefit Plan to provide  benefits,  including death or
         medical  benefits,   with  respect  to  employees  (or  their  spouses,
         beneficiaries  or  dependents)  of it or its  Subsidiaries  beyond  the
         retirement or other  termination  of service of any such employee other
         than (A)  coverage  mandated  by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or  Section
         4980B of the Code,  (B) retirement or death benefits under any employee
         pension  benefit plan (as defined  under  Section  3(2) of ERISA),  (C)
         disability  benefits  under any  employee  welfare  plan that have been
         fully  provided for by insurance or  otherwise,  or (D) benefits in the
         nature of severance pay.

          (l) Ownership of Company Common Stock. As of the date hereof,  neither
the Acquiror nor, to its knowledge, any of its affiliates or associates (as such
terms are defined  under the Exchange  Act) (i)  beneficially  owns  directly or
indirectly, or (ii) is party to any agreement,  arrangement or understanding for
the purpose of acquiring,  holding,  voting or disposing  of, in each case,  any
outstanding  shares of Company  Common  Stock  (other than shares held in a bona
fide fiduciary  capacity or in satisfaction  of a debt previously  contracted in
good faith).

          (m) Tax  Matters.  (i) All Tax Returns with respect to the Acquiror or
any of its  Subsidiaries,  have been or will be timely  filed,  or requests  for
extensions  have been timely  filed and have not  expired;  (ii) all Tax Returns
filed by the Acquiror are complete and accurate; (iii) all Taxes shown to be due
and payable  (without  regard to whether such Taxes have been  assessed) on such
Tax Returns have been paid or adequate  reserves have been  established  for the
payment of such Taxes;  and (iv) no audit or  examination  or refund  litigation
with respect to any Tax Return is pending or, to the Acquiror's  knowledge,  has
been threatened.

          (n) Disclosure.  The representations and warranties  contained in this
Section 5.04 do not contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the  statements  contained in
this Section  5.04,  in the light of the  circumstances  in which they are being
made,  not  misleading.  The copies of all  documents  furnished  to the Company
hereunder are true and complete copies of the original thereof.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                                    Covenants


          6.01 Reasonable  Best Efforts.  Subject to the terms and conditions of
this  Agreement,  each  of the  Company  and  the  Acquiror  agrees  to use  its
reasonable best efforts in


                                      -42-

<PAGE>
good  faith  to  take,  or  cause  to be  taken  (including  causing  any of its
Subsidiaries to take),  all actions,  and to do, or cause to be done, all things
necessary,  proper or desirable,  or advisable under  applicable  laws, so as to
permit  consummation  of the Merger as promptly as practicable  and otherwise to
enable consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby and shall cooperate
fully with the other party hereto to that end.

          6.02 Stockholder Approvals.  The Company agrees to take, in accordance
with applicable law,  applicable stock exchange rules,  the Company  Certificate
and the Company ByLaws,  all action necessary to convene an appropriate  meeting
of  stockholders  of the  Company to  consider  and vote upon the  approval  and
adoption of this Agreement and any other matters  required to be approved by the
Company's stockholders for consummation of the Merger (including any adjournment
or  postponement,  the "Company  Meeting") as promptly as practicable  after the
Registration  Statement is declared  effective.  Unless the Company Board, after
having consulted with and considered the written advice of outside counsel,  has
determined  in good faith that it is  otherwise  required in order to  discharge
properly the directors'  fiduciary  duties in accordance  with Delaware law, the
Company  Board shall  recommend  such  approval,  and the Company shall take all
reasonable, lawful action to solicit such approval by its stockholders.

          6.03  Registration  Statement.  (a) The  Acquiror  agrees to prepare a
registration statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration  Statement"),  to be filed
by the Acquiror with the SEC in connection  with the issuance of Acquiror Common
Stock (and related Acquiror Rights) in the Merger (including the proxy statement
and   prospectus  and  other  proxy   solicitation   materials  of  the  Company
constituting a part thereof (the "Proxy Statement") and all related  documents).
The Company  agrees to cooperate,  and to cause its  Subsidiaries  to cooperate,
with the  Acquiror,  its  counsel and its  accountants,  in  preparation  of the
Registration  Statement and the Proxy Statement;  and, provided that the Company
and its  Subsidiaries  have cooperated as required above, the Acquiror agrees to
file the  Proxy  Statement  in  preliminary  form  with the SEC as  promptly  as
reasonably  practicable,  and to file the Registration Statement with the SEC as
soon as  reasonably  practicable  after any SEC  comments  with  respect  to the
preliminary  Proxy Statement are resolved.  Each of the Company and the Acquiror
agrees to use all reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to
be  declared  effective  under the  Securities  Act as  promptly  as  reasonably
practicable after filing thereof. The Acquiror also agrees to use all reasonable
best efforts to obtain all necessary state  securities law or "Blue Sky" permits
and  approvals  required  to carry  out the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement.  The  Company  agrees to  furnish  to the  Acquiror  all  information
concerning the Company, its Subsidiaries,  officers,  directors and stockholders
as may be reasonably requested in connection with the foregoing.

                  (b) Each of the Company and the Acquiror agrees,  as to itself
and its Subsidiaries, that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by
it for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement
will, at the time the Registration


                                      -43-

<PAGE>
Statement and each amendment or supplement  thereto,  if any, becomes  effective
under the  Securities  Act,  contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Proxy Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto will, at the date of mailing to stockholders and
at the time of the Company  Meeting,  contain any untrue statement which, at the
time and in the light of the  circumstances  under which such statement is made,
will be false or  misleading  with respect to any material  fact,  or which will
omit to state  any  material  fact  necessary  in  order to make the  statements
therein not false or  misleading  or necessary  to correct any  statement in any
earlier statement in the Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto.
Each of the  Company and the  Acquiror  further  agrees that if it shall  become
aware prior to the Effective Date of any information  furnished by it that would
cause any of the  statements  in the Proxy  Statement to be false or  misleading
with  respect  to any  material  fact,  or to omit to state  any  material  fact
necessary to make the statements  therein not false or  misleading,  to promptly
inform the other party  thereof and to take the  necessary  steps to correct the
Proxy Statement.

          (c) The  Acquiror  agrees to advise the  Company,  promptly  after the
Acquiror  receives notice thereof,  of the time when the Registration  Statement
has become  effective  or any  supplement  or amendment  has been filed,  of the
issuance  of any  stop  order  or the  suspension  of the  qualification  of the
Acquiror  Stock for offering or sale in any  jurisdiction,  of the initiation or
threat of any proceeding for any such purpose,  or of any request by the SEC for
the  amendment or  supplement of the  Registration  Statement or for  additional
information.

          6.04 Press Releases.  Each of the Company and the Acquiror agrees that
it will not,  without  the prior  approval of the other  party,  issue any press
release  or  written   statement  for  general   circulation   relating  to  the
transactions contemplated hereby, except as otherwise required by applicable law
or regulation or NYSE rules.

          6.05  Access;  Information.  (a) Each of the Company and the  Acquiror
agrees that upon  reasonable  notice and subject to applicable  laws relating to
the  exchange  of  information,  it shall  afford the other  party and the other
party's  officers,   employees,   counsel,   accountants  and  other  authorized
representatives,  such access during normal business hours throughout the period
prior  to  the  Effective  Time  to  the  books,  records  (including,   without
limitation,  tax returns and work papers of independent  auditors),  properties,
personnel and to such other information as any party may reasonably request and,
during such period,  it shall furnish promptly to such other party (i) a copy of
each material  report,  schedule and other  document filed by it pursuant to the
requirements of federal or state  securities or banking laws, and (ii) all other
information concerning the business, properties and personnel of it as the other
may reasonably request.

          (b) Each of the Company and the Acquiror  agrees that it will not, and
will cause its representatives not to, use any information  obtained pursuant to
this  Section  5.05  for  any  purpose  unrelated  to  the  consummation  of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.


                                      -44-

<PAGE>
Subject to the requirements of law, each party will keep confidential,  and will
cause its  representatives to keep  confidential,  all information and documents
obtained  pursuant to this Section 6.05 unless such  information (i) was already
known to such party, (ii) becomes available to such party from other sources not
known  by such  party  to be bound  by a  confidentiality  obligation,  (iii) is
disclosed with the prior written approval of the party to which such information
pertains or (iv) is or becomes readily  ascertainable from published information
or trade  sources.  In the  event  that  this  Agreement  is  terminated  or the
transactions   contemplated  by  this  Agreement  shall  otherwise  fail  to  be
consummated, each party shall promptly cause all copies of documents or extracts
thereof  containing  information  and  data as to  another  party  hereto  to be
returned to the party which furnished the same. No investigation by either party
of the  business and affairs of the other shall affect or be deemed to modify or
waive any representation,  warranty, covenant or agreement in this Agreement, or
the  conditions to either  party's  obligation to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

          6.06 Acquisition Proposals.  The Company agrees that it shall not, and
shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and its Subsidiaries' officers,  directors,
agents,  advisors  and  affiliates  not to,  solicit or  encourage  inquiries or
proposals with respect to, or engage in any negotiations concerning,  or provide
any  confidential  information  to, or have any  discussions  with,  any  person
relating to, any tender or exchange offer, proposal for a merger,  consolidation
or other business  combination  involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or any proposal or offer to acquire in any manner a substantial  equity interest
in, or a substantial portion of the assets or deposits of, the Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries,  other than the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
(any of the  foregoing,  an  "Acquisition  Proposal");  provided,  that,  if the
Company is not  otherwise in violation of this Section  6.06,  the Company Board
may provide  information to, and may engage in such  negotiations or discussions
with, a person, directly or through  representatives,  if (a) the Company Board,
after having  consulted with and  considered the written advice of counsel,  has
determined in good faith that the provision of such  information or the engaging
in such  negotiations  or discussion is required in order to discharge  properly
the  directors'  fiduciary  duties in  accordance  with Delaware law and (b) the
Company  has  received   from  such  person  a   confidentiality   agreement  in
substantially  customary form. The Company also agrees  immediately to cease and
cause to be terminated any  activities,  discussions or  negotiations  conducted
prior to the date of this  Agreement with any parties other than the Acquiror or
the Bank,  with  respect to any of the  foregoing.  The Company  shall  promptly
(within  24 hours)  advise  the  Acquiror  following  the  receipt  by it of any
Acquisition  Proposal and the substance  thereof  (including the identity of the
person  making  such  Acquisition  Proposal),  and  advise the  Acquiror  of any
developments  with respect to such  Acquisition  Proposal  immediately  upon the
occurrence thereof.

          6.07  Affiliate  Agreements.  Not later than the 15th day prior to the
mailing of the Proxy  Statement,  the Company  shall  deliver to the  Acquiror a
schedule of each person that,  to the Company's  knowledge,  is or is reasonably
likely to be, as of the date of the Company Meeting, deemed to be an "affiliate"
of it (each, a "Company Affiliate") as that term is used in


                                      -45-

<PAGE>
Rule 145 under the Securities Act or SEC Accounting Series Releases 130 and 135.
The Company agrees to use its  reasonable  best efforts to cause each person who
may be deemed to be a Company  Affiliate  to execute  and deliver to the Company
and the  Acquiror  on or before the date of mailing  of the Proxy  Statement  an
agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

          6.08  Takeover  Laws.  No party shall take any action that would cause
the  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement to be subject to requirements
imposed by any  Takeover  Law and each of them shall  take all  necessary  steps
within  its  control  to exempt  (or  ensure  the  continued  exemption  of) the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement from, or if necessary challenge the
validity or applicability  of, any applicable  Takeover Law, as now or hereafter
in effect.

          6.09 No Rights Triggered.  The Company shall take all reasonable steps
necessary  to  ensure  that  the  entering  into  of  this   Agreement  and  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and any other action or
combination of actions,  or any other transactions  contemplated  hereby, do not
and will not  result in the  grant of any  rights  to any  person  (a) under the
Company  Certificate or the Company By-Laws or (b) under any material  agreement
to  which  it or  any  of its  Subsidiaries  is a  party  (except  as  expressly
contemplated  by the  mandatory  provisions  under its stock  option  plans,  as
applicable).

          6.10 Rights Agreement. The Company shall take all necessary action (i)
to render the Company Rights Agreement  inapplicable to the Merger and the other
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) to ensure that neither the
Acquiror,  the Bank nor Merger Sub will become an "Acquiring Person" and that no
"Stock Acquisition Date" or a "Distribution  Date" (as such terms are defined in
the Rights  Agreement)  will occur and that the  exercisability  of the  Company
Rights  Agreement  will  not be  triggered,  in  each  case as a  result  of the
execution or delivery of this  Agreement or any  amendment  hereto or thereto or
the consummation of the Merger,  or the  consummation of the other  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.  Except (a) as provided in Section 5.03(o) or in
the  immediately  preceding  sentence or (b) if the Company Board,  after having
consulted  with and  considered  the  written  advice of  outside  counsel,  has
determined  in good faith that it is  otherwise  required in order to  discharge
properly the directors'  fiduciary  duties in accordance  with Delaware law, the
Company Board shall not (i) amend the Company Rights  Agreement or (ii) take any
action with  respect to, or make any  determination  under,  the Company  Rights
Agreement,  including  the  determination  that  the  Acquiror  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  is an "Adverse  Person," a redemption of the Company Rights or any
action to facilitate an Acquisition Transaction.

          6.11 NYSE  Listing.  The Acquiror  agrees to use its  reasonable  best
efforts to list,  prior to the Effective Date, on the NYSE,  subject to official
notice of  issuance,  the shares of  Acquiror  Common  Stock to be issued to the
holders of Company Common Stock in the Merger.



                                      -46-

<PAGE>
          6.12  Regulatory  Applications.  (a) The  Acquiror and the Company and
their  respective   Subsidiaries   shall  cooperate  and  use  their  respective
reasonable best efforts to prepare all documentation,  to effect all filings and
to obtain all  permits,  consents,  approvals  and  authorizations  of all third
parties and  Governmental  Authorities  necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.  Each of the Acquiror and the Company shall have
the right to review in advance,  and to the extent practicable each will consult
with the other, in each case subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange
of information,  with respect to, all material written information  submitted to
any  third  party  or  any   Governmental   Authority  in  connection  with  the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right,
each of the Acquiror and the Company agrees to act reasonably and as promptly as
practicable.  Each of the Acquiror  and the Company  agrees that it will consult
with the other  party  hereto  with  respect to the  obtaining  of all  material
permits,  consents,  approvals  and  authorizations  of all  third  parties  and
Governmental  Authorities  necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement  and  each  party  will  keep the  other  party
appraised  of the status of  material  matters  relating  to  completion  of the
transactions contemplated hereby.

          (b) Each of the  Acquiror and the Company  agrees,  upon  request,  to
furnish  the  other  party  with  all   information   concerning   itself,   its
Subsidiaries, directors, officers and stockholders and such other matters as may
be reasonably  necessary or advisable in connection  with any filing,  notice or
application  made by or on behalf of such other party or any of its Subsidiaries
to any third party or Governmental Authority.

          6.13  Indemnification.  (a) The by-laws of the  Surviving  Corporation
shall contain provisions no less favorable with respect to indemnification  than
are set forth in Article VII of the Company By-Laws,  which provisions shall not
be amended,  repealed or otherwise modified,  for a period of six years from the
Effective Time, in any manner that would adversely affect the rights  thereunder
of individuals who at the Effective Time were directors,  officers, employees or
agents of the Company with respect to any action, suit or proceeding arising out
of, or relating to, any actions,  transactions  or facts  occurring prior to the
Effective  Time.  Following  the  Effective  Date and for a period  of six years
thereafter,  the Acquiror shall indemnify,  defend and hold harmless the present
and former directors and officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries  (each, an
"Indemnified  Party")  against  all  costs  or  expenses  (including  reasonable
attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines,  losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities
(collectively,  "Costs")  incurred in connection with any claim,  action,  suit,
proceeding  or  investigation,   whether  civil,  criminal,   administrative  or
investigative,  arising out of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the
Effective Time (including,  without limitation, the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement), whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective
Time,  to the fullest  extent that the Company is  permitted  to  indemnify  its
directors  and  officers  under the laws of the State of  Delaware,  the Company
Certificate  and the  Company  By-Laws  as in  effect  on the date  hereof  (and
Acquiror  shall,  or shall cause the  Surviving  Corporation  to,  also  advance
expenses as  incurred  to the fullest  extent  permitted  under  applicable  law
provided the person to whom


                                      -47-

<PAGE>
expenses are advanced  provides an  undertaking  to repay such advances if it is
ultimately  determined  that such person is not  entitled  to  indemnification);
provided that any  determination  required to be made with respect to whether an
officer's or  director's  conduct  complies  with the  standards set forth under
Delaware law, the Company  Certificate  and the Company By-Laws shall be made by
independent  counsel (which shall not be counsel that provides material services
to the  Acquiror)  selected by the Acquiror and  reasonably  acceptable  to such
officer or director;  and provided,  further,  that in the absence of applicable
Delaware  judicial  precedent  to the  contrary,  such  counsel,  in making such
determination,  shall presume such officer's or director's conduct complied with
such standard and the Acquiror  shall have the burden to  demonstrate  that such
officer's or director's conduct failed to comply with such standard.

          (b) For a period of six years from the  Effective  Time,  the Acquiror
shall use its best efforts to provide that portion of  director's  and officer's
liability insurance that serves to reimburse the present and former officers and
directors  of the  Company  or any of  its  Subsidiaries  (determined  as of the
Effective  Time) with  respect to claims  against  such  directors  and officers
arising from facts or events which  occurred  before the Effective  Time,  which
insurance  shall  contain at least the same  coverage and  amounts,  and contain
terms and conditions no less  advantageous,  as that coverage currently provided
by the  Company;  provided,  however,  that in no event  shall the  Acquiror  be
required to expend more than 200 percent of the current  amount  expended by the
Company  (the  "Insurance  Amount") to maintain or procure  such  directors  and
officers insurance coverage;  provided,  further, that if the Acquiror is unable
to maintain or obtain the  insurance  called for by this  Section  6.13(b),  the
Acquiror  shall use its  reasonable  best  efforts to obtain as much  comparable
insurance as is available  for the Insurance  Amount;  provided,  further,  that
officers and directors of the Company or any  Subsidiary may be required to make
application  and  provide  customary   representations  and  warranties  to  the
Acquirer's insurance carrier for the purpose of obtaining such insurance.

          (c) Any  Indemnified  Party  wishing  to claim  indemnification  under
Section  6.13(a),  upon  learning  of any claim,  action,  suit,  proceeding  or
investigation  described  above,  shall  promptly  notify the Acquiror  thereof;
provided that the failure so to notify shall not affect the  obligations  of the
Acquiror  under  Section  6.13(a)  unless and to the extent that the Acquiror is
actually prejudiced as a result of such failure. In the event of any such claim,
action, suit,  proceeding or investigation  (whether arising before or after the
Effective  Time), (i) the Acquiror or the Surviving  Corporation  shall have the
right to assume the defense thereof and the Acquiror shall not be liable to such
Indemnified  Parties  for any  legal  expenses  of other  counsel  or any  other
expenses  subsequently  incurred by such Indemnified  Parties in connection with
the defense  thereof,  except that if the Acquiror or the Surviving  Corporation
elects not to assume such defense or counsel for the Indemnified Parties advises
that there are issues that raise  conflicts of interest  between the Acquiror or
the Surviving  Corporation and the Indemnified  Parties, the Indemnified Parties
may retain  counsel  satisfactory  to them,  and the  Acquiror or the  Surviving
Corporation  shall pay all reasonable  fees and expenses of such counsel for the
Indemnified  Parties  promptly as statements  therefor are  received;  provided,
however, that the Acquiror shall


                                      -48-

<PAGE>
be obligated  pursuant to this paragraph (c) to pay for only one firm of counsel
for all Indemnified  Parties in any  jurisdiction  unless the use of one counsel
for such  Indemnified  Parties  would  present  such  counsel with a conflict of
interest, (ii) the Indemnified Parties will cooperate in the defense of any such
matter and (iii) the Acquiror  shall not be liable for any  settlement  effected
without its prior  written  consent,  which  consent  shall not be  unreasonably
withheld; and provided, further, that the Acquiror shall not have any obligation
hereunder to any Indemnified Party when and if a court of competent jurisdiction
shall ultimately  determine,  and such determination shall have become final and
non-appealable, that the indemnification of such Indemnified Party in the manner
contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable law.

          (d)  If  the  Acquiror  or any of  its  successors  or  assigns  shall
consolidate  with or merge into any other entity and shall not be the continuing
or surviving  entity of such  consolidation  or merger or shall  transfer all or
substantially  all of its assets to any  entity,  then and in each case,  proper
provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Acquiror shall
assume the obligations set forth in this Section 6.13.

          6.14 Benefit  Plans.  From the Effective Time until December 31, 1998,
Acquiror shall cause the Surviving  Corporation and its Subsidiaries to maintain
for employees of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  who as of the Effective Time
become  employed by the  Surviving  Corporation  or the Acquiror or any of their
Subsidiaries (the "Covered Employees"),  (a) salary and bonus opportunities (but
explicitly excluding commissions and equity grant  opportunities),  (b) employee
pension  benefits in respect of plans  intended to be  qualified  under  Section
401(a) of the Code, (c) employee welfare benefits and (d) broad-based  severance
plans  (the  items  covered  in  (a)  through  (d)  hereinafter  referred  to as
"Designated Benefits"),  that are no less favorable, in the aggregate,  than the
Designated  Benefits enjoyed by such Covered Employees  immediately prior to the
Effective  Time.  For  purposes of all  employee  benefit  plans,  programs  and
arrangements  maintained or contributed to by the Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries
(including without limitation,  the Surviving Corporation),  the Acquiror shall,
or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, cause each such plan, program or arrangement
to treat the prior service with the Company and its Subsidiaries of each Covered
Employee (to the same extent such service is recognized  under analogous  plans,
programs or arrangements of the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to
the Effective Time) as service rendered to the Acquiror or its Subsidiaries,  as
the case may be,  solely for  purposes of  eligibility  to  participate  and for
vesting  thereunder.  Following the Effective Time, the Acquiror shall cause the
Surviving  Corporation to cause any and all pre-existing  condition  limitations
(to the extent such limitations did not apply to a pre-existing  condition under
the  Compensation  and Benefit Plans) and eligibility  waiting periods under any
health plans to be waived with  respect to Covered  Employees  who,  immediately
prior to the Effective  Time,  participated  in a health plan and their eligible
dependents.  All  discretionary  awards and benefits under any employee  benefit
plans of the  Acquiror  shall be subject  to the  discretion  of the  persons or
committee  administering  such plans. The Acquiror shall honor,  pursuant to the
terms of the Company Compensation and Benefit Plans Previously


                                      -49-

<PAGE>
Disclosed,  and to the extent  consistent  with  applicable  law,  all  employee
benefit  obligations  to current and former  employees of the Company under such
plans.

          6.15 Accountants'  Letters. Each of the Company and the Acquiror shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be delivered to the other party, and
such other party's directors and officers who sign the Registration Statement, a
letter  of  Ernest  &  Young  LLP  and  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  respectively,
independent  auditors,  dated (i) the date on which the  Registration  Statement
shall become  effective and (ii) a date shortly prior to the Effective Date, and
addressed to such other party,  and such  directors  and  officers,  in form and
substance  customary for "comfort" letters delivered by independent  accountants
in accordance with Statement of Accounting Standards No. 72.

          6.16  Notification  of Certain  Matters.  Each of the  Company and the
Acquiror  shall  give  prompt  notice  to  the  other  of  any  fact,  event  or
circumstance  known to it that (i) is reasonably  likely,  individually or taken
together with all other facts,  events and circumstances  known to it, to result
in any  Material  Adverse  Effect  with  respect  to it or (ii)  would  cause or
constitute  a  material  breach  of  any  of  its  representations,  warranties,
covenants or agreements contained herein.

          6.17  Certain  Policies  of  the  Company.  Upon  the  request  of the
Acquiror,  the Company  shall,  consistent  with generally  accepted  accounting
principles and regulatory accounting principles, use its reasonable best efforts
to  record  certain  accounting   adjustments  intended  to  conform  the  loan,
litigation   and  other   accrual   and   reserve   policies   (including   loan
classifications  and levels of reserves) of the Company and its  Subsidiaries so
as to reflect the policies of the Acquiror;  provided, however, that the Company
shall not be obligated  to record any such  accounting  adjustments  pursuant to
this Section 6.17 (a) unless and until the Company  shall be satisfied  that the
conditions to the  obligation  of the parties to  consummate  the Merger will be
satisfied or waived on or before the Effective  Time,  and (b) in no event until
the day prior to the Effective Date. The Company's  representations,  warranties
and covenants  contained in this  Agreement  shall not be deemed to be untrue or
breached in any respect for any purpose as a consequence of any modifications or
changes undertaken solely on account of this Section 6.17.

          6.18 Employee Benefits.  The Company shall, with the prior approval of
the Acquiror, take any necessary or appropriate action to effect a correction of
any errors made in connection with  contributions  made to the Company's Savings
Plan or  Retirement  Plan  (including,  to the  extent  appropriate,  making any
necessary  corrective  contributions  in order to satisfy the  nondiscrimination
requirements  under Sections  401(k)(3) and 401(m)(2) of the Code). With respect
to any options  granted under the  Company's  Incentive  Stock Option Plan,  the
Company Board shall refrain from  canceling any such options and causing cash to
be paid in  consideration  therefor.  The Company  Board (or such members of the
Company Board authorized to so act), in accordance with the Company's  Incentive
Stock Option Plan, shall take timely action to adopt a resolution  providing and
declaring that the consummation of the Merger,


                                      -50-

<PAGE>
shareholder  approval  of the  Merger,  as well as all  transactions  or  events
contemplated  thereby  or related  thereto,  shall not  constitute  a "Change of
Control"  for  purposes of such  Incentive  Stock Option Plan or, with the prior
consent of the Acquiror, take such other action as shall prevent any holder of a
Stock  Option  from  having a right to  receive,  pursuant to Section 10 of such
Plan,  a cash  payment  as a  result  of this  Agreement  and  the  transactions
contemplated hereby;  provided that such other action be taken prior to the date
on which a "Change  of  Control"  would  otherwise  occur in the  absence of the
Company Board resolution to the contrary.  The Company shall take such action as
is reasonably  necessary to provide that,  after the date of this Agreement,  no
employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who is otherwise  eligible to
participate  in the  Company's  Senior  Executive  Severance  Pay Plan  shall be
eligible to participate in, or receive a benefit under, the Company's  Severance
Pay  Plan,  so as to  prevent  any  employee  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries  from  receiving a severance  benefit  under both such plans.  With
respect to the Company Annual  Executive Bonus Plan (the "AEBP"),  the aggregate
Target  Pool (as such term is  defined in the AEBP) for the 1997  calendar  year
Valuation Period shall not exceed $2,000,000.  To the extent a change of control
(as  defined  in the AEBP)  occurs  prior to the end of such  Valuation  Period,
however,  such Target Pool shall be pro-rated in the same ratio as the number of
months  in the  Valuation  Period  completed  as of the date of such  change  of
control  bears to 12 (provided,  however,  that such  pro-rated  amount shall be
reduced by $273,750) and the Committee thereunder shall determine the amounts to
be paid under the AEBP and the Company shall make such payments,  if any, at the
Effective  Time.   Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  or  any  provision  of  this
Agreement,  the  Company  shall  take such  action as may be  required  for each
Company  Stock Option to fully vest and become  immediately  exercisable  at the
Effective Time and to remain  exercisable for the remaining term of such Company
Stock Option.

          6.19  Certain   Payments  at  Effective   Time.  In  lieu  of  and  in
satisfaction for the amount of any cash payment which might otherwise be paid or
payable  upon a  termination  of  employment  under  any  Termination  Agreement
previously  entered into by the Company or any  applicable  severance  plan, the
Company  shall pay to the  individuals  listed on Schedule 6.19 of the Company's
Disclosure  Schedule  in a cash lump sum at the  Effective  Time the amounts set
forth in such Schedule 6.19, less the amount of any applicable  withholding.  In
addition,  at the  Effective  Time  payment  shall  also be made in  respect  of
Previously  Disclosed  obligations  in respect of stock  options that were never
granted to the individual  included on Schedule 6.19of the Company's  Disclosure
Schedule, less the amount of any applicable withholding.

          6.20 Certain Employee Agreements.  The Company shall not terminate the
employment of Messrs. Terrance G. Hodel, Harold B. Bonnikson,  Gary F. Moore and
Martin S. Hughes  (each,  an  "Identified  Employee")  without the prior written
consent of the Acquiror  (such  consent not to be  unreasonably  withheld)  and,
subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,  shall use its reasonable
best  efforts  (a) to  maintain  the  continued  employment  of each  Identified
Employee  with the Company  until the  Effective  Date and (b) not in any way to
encourage (or permit the encouragement of) any Identified  Employee to breach or
violate any


                                      -51-

<PAGE>



employment agreement or other arrangement such Identified Employee may have with
the Acquiror or any Subsidiary of it.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                    Conditions to Consummation of the Merger

          7.01 Conditions to Each Party's  Obligation to Effect the Merger.  The
respective  obligation of each of the Acquiror and the Company to consummate the
Merger is subject to the  fulfillment  or written waiver by the Acquiror and the
Company prior to the Effective Time of each of the following conditions:

          (a) Stockholder Approval.  This Agreement shall have been duly adopted
by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding
shares of Company  Common  Stock  entitled to vote  thereon in  accordance  with
Section 251 of the DGCL,  other  applicable law and the Company  Certificate and
the Company By-Laws.

          (b)   Governmental   and  Regulatory   Consents.   All  approvals  and
authorizations  of, filings and  registrations  with, and  notifications to, all
Governmental   Authorities   (except  to  the  extent  that  such   Governmental
Authorities are acting in the capacity of Insurer or Investor)  required for the
consummation  of the Merger and for the  prevention  of any  termination  of any
material  right,  privilege,  license or agreement of either the Acquiror or the
Company or their  respective  Subsidiaries  shall have been obtained or made and
shall be in full force and effect and all waiting periods  required by law shall
have expired;  provided,  however,  that none of the  preceding  shall be deemed
obtained  or made if it shall be subject to any  condition  or  restriction  the
effect of which would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Acquiror  (including
the Company as a Subsidiary after the Merger) or on the Surviving Corporation.

          (c) Third Party  Consents.  All  consents or approvals of all persons,
other than Governmental Authorities (except to the extent that such Governmental
Authorities are acting in the capacity of Insurer or Investor),  required for or
in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and
the  consummation  of the Merger  shall have been  obtained and shall be in full
force and effect,  unless the failure to obtain any such  consent or approval is
not reasonably  likely to have,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  a Material
Adverse Effect on the Surviving Corporation.

          (d) No Injunction. No Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction
shall have enacted, issued, promulgated,  enforced or entered any statute, rule,
regulation,  judgment,  decree,  injunction or other order  (whether  temporary,
preliminary or


                                      -52-

<PAGE>



permanent)  which is in effect and prohibits  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

          (e)  Registration  Statement.  The  Registration  Statement shall have
become  effective  under the  Securities  Act and no stop order  suspending  the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  shall  have been  issued  and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the SEC.

          (f) Blue Sky Approvals. All permits and other authorizations under the
federal  and state  securities  laws  (other  than that  referred  to in Section
7.01(e)) and other  authorizations  necessary  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  and to issue the  shares of  Acquiror  Common  Stock  (and
related Acquiror Rights) to be issued in the Merger shall have been received and
be in full force and effect.

          (g) Listing. The shares of Acquiror Common Stock (and related Acquiror
Rights) to be issued in the Merger  shall have been  approved for listing on the
NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

          7.02  Conditions to Obligation of the Company.  The  obligation of the
Company to consummate  the Merger is also subject to the  fulfillment or written
waiver  by the  Company  prior to the  Effective  Time of each of the  following
conditions:

          (a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties
of the Acquiror  set forth in this  Agreement  shall be true and correct  (after
giving effect to the standard set forth in Section 5.02 of this Agreement) as of
the date of this Agreement and as of the Effective Date as though made on and as
of the Effective Date (except that  representations and warranties that by their
terms  speak as of the date of this  Agreement  or some other date shall be true
and  correct  only as of such  date),  and the  Company  shall  have  received a
certificate,  dated the Effective Date,  signed on behalf of the Acquiror by the
Chief Executive Officer and the Treasurer of the Acquiror to such effect.

          (b) Performance of Obligations of the Acquiror. The Acquiror, the Bank
and Merger Sub shall have  performed  in all material  respects all  obligations
required  to be  performed  by them  under  this  Agreement  at or  prior to the
Effective  Time,  and the Company shall have received a  certificate,  dated the
Effective Date,  signed on behalf of the Acquiror by the Chief Executive Officer
and the Treasurer of the Acquiror to such effect.

          (c) Opinion of Counsel.  The Company  shall have  received an opinion,
dated the  Effective  Date,  of  Sullivan  &  Cromwell,  special  counsel to the
Acquiror, to the effect that the shares of Acquiror Common Stock to be issued as
Consideration, when issued in


                                      -53-

<PAGE>



accordance  with the terms  hereof,  will be duly  authorized,  validly  issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.

          (d) Tax Opinion of Company's Counsel.  The Company shall have received
an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, special counsel to the Company, to the
effect that (i) the Merger constitutes a "reorganization"  within the meaning of
Section  368 of the  Code  and  (ii)  no gain or  loss  will  be  recognized  by
stockholders  of the  Company who receive  shares of  Acquiror  Common  Stock as
Consideration  in exchange for shares of Company Common Stock,  except that gain
or loss  may be  recognized  as to cash  received  in lieu of  fractional  share
interests.

          (e) Accountants'  Letters. The Company shall have received the letters
referred  to in  Section  6.15  from  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  the  Acquiror's
independent auditors.

          7.03  Conditions to Obligation of the Acquiror.  The obligation of the
Acquiror to consummate the Merger is also subject to the  fulfillment or written
waiver by the  Acquiror  prior to the  Effective  Time of each of the  following
conditions:

          (a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties
of the Company  set forth in this  Agreement  shall be true and  correct  (after
giving effect to the standard set forth in Section 5.02 of this Agreement) as of
the date of this Agreement and as of the Effective Date as though made on and as
of the Effective Date (except that  representations and warranties that by their
terms  speak as of the date of this  Agreement  or some other date shall be true
and  correct  only as of such  date) and the  Acquiror  shall  have  received  a
certificate,  dated the Effective  Date,  signed on behalf of the Company by the
Chief Executive Officer and the Treasurer of the Company to such effect.

          (b) Performance of Obligations of the Company.  The Company shall have
performed in all material  respects all obligations  required to be performed by
it under this  Agreement  at or prior to the  Effective  Time,  and the Acquiror
shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date, signed on behalf of
the Company by the Chief Executive  Officer and the Chief  Financial  Officer of
the Company to such effect.

          (c) Tax  Opinion  of  Acquiror's  Counsel.  The  Acquiror  shall  have
received  an opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell,  special  counsel to the  Acquiror,
dated  the  Effective  Date,  to  the  effect  that  the  Merger  constitutes  a
"reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368 of the Code.

          (d) Accountants'  Letters. The Acquiror and its directors and officers
who sign the Registration  Statement shall have received the letters referred to
in Section 6.15 from Ernst & Young LLP, the Company's independent auditors.


                                      -54-

<PAGE>
                                  ARTICLE VIII

                                   Termination

          8.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated, and the Merger may
be abandoned:

          (a) Mutual  Consent.  At any time prior to the Effective  Time, by the
mutual  consent of the Acquiror  and the  Company,  if the Board of Directors of
each so determines by vote of a majority of the members of its entire Board.

          (b) Breach.  At any time prior to the Effective  Time, by the Acquiror
or the Company,  in each case if its Board of Directors so determines by vote of
a majority of the  members of its entire  Board,  in the event of either:  (i) a
breach by the other party of any  representation  or warranty  contained  herein
(subject to the standard set forth in Section  5.02),  which breach cannot be or
has not been cured  within 30 days  after the  giving of  written  notice to the
breaching  party of such  breach;  or (ii) a breach by the other party of any of
the covenants or agreements  contained herein, which breach cannot be or has not
been cured  within 30 days after the giving of written  notice to the  breaching
party of such breach and which breach would be reasonably  likely,  individually
or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the breaching party.

          (c) Delay. At any time prior to the Effective Time, by the Acquiror or
the Company,  in each case if its Board of Directors so  determines by vote of a
majority of the members of its entire Board, in the event that the Merger is not
consummated  by December 31, 1997,  except to the extent that the failure of the
Merger then to be  consummated  arises out of or results from the knowing action
or inaction of the party seeking to terminate pursuant to this Section 8.01(c).

          (d) No Approval.  By the Company or the Acquiror,  in each case if its
Board of Directors so  determines  by a vote of a majority of the members of its
entire  Board,  in the  event (i) the  approval  of any  Governmental  Authority
required for consummation of the Merger and the other transactions  contemplated
by this Agreement shall have been denied by final  nonappealable  action of such
Governmental Authority or (ii) any stockholder approval required by Section 6.02
herein is not obtained at the Company Meeting.

          (e) Failure to  Recommend,  Etc. By the  Acquiror,  if (i) at any time
prior to the Company  Meeting  the  Company  Board shall have failed to make its
recommendation  referred to in Section 6.02,  withdrawn such  recommendation  or
modified or changed such  recommendation in a manner adverse to the interests of
the Acquiror (whether in


                                      -55-

<PAGE>
accordance   with  Section  6.02  or   otherwise)  or  (ii)  the  Company  Board
participates  in (or authorizes  participation  in)  negotiations  regarding the
substantive terms of a bona fide formal Acquisition Proposal).

          (f) Acceptance of an Acquisition Proposal. By the Company, if, without
breaching  Section  6.06,  the  Company  shall  contemporaneously  enter  into a
definitive agreement with a third party providing for an Acquisition Transaction
on terms  determined in good faith by the Company Board,  after  consulting with
and  considering  the  written  advice  of the  Company's  outside  counsel  and
financial advisors, to be more favorable to the stockholders of the Company than
the Merger;  provided,  that the right to terminate  this  Agreement  under this
Section  8.01(f) shall not be available to the Company unless it delivers to the
Acquiror  simultaneously  with such  termination  the fee referred to in Section
8.03.

          (g)  Possible  Adjustment.  By the  Company,  if the Company  Board so
determines by a vote of a majority of the members of the entire  Company  Board,
at any time during the five-day period commencing with the  Determination  Date,
if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

                           (i) The Average  Closing  Price on the  Determination
                  Date of shares of Acquiror Common Stock shall be less than the
                  product of 0.80 and the Starting Price; and

                           (ii) (A) The number  obtained by dividing the Average
                  Closing Price on the Determination  Date by the Starting Price
                  (such number, the "Acquiror Ratio") shall be less than (B) the
                  number   obtained   by   dividing   the  Index  Price  on  the
                  Determination Date by the Index Price on the Starting Date and
                  subtracting 0.20 from the quotient in this Section 8(g)(ii)(B)
                  (such number, the "Index Ratio");

subject,  however,  to the following  four  sentences.  If the Company elects to
exercise its termination  right pursuant to this Section 8.01(g),  it shall give
prompt written notice to the Acquiror; provided that such notice of election may
be withdrawn at any time within the aforementioned  five-day period.  During the
five-day period  commencing with its receipt of such notice,  the Acquiror shall
have the option of adjusting  the  Exchange  Ratio to the lesser of (i) a number
equal to a quotient  (rounded to the nearest  one-thousandth),  the numerator of
which is the product of 0.80, the Starting Price and the Exchange Ratio (as then
in effect) and the denominator of which is the Average Closing Price, and (ii) a
number  equal  to a  quotient  (rounded  to  the  nearest  one-thousandth),  the
numerator of which is the Index Ratio  multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (as then
in effect) and the  denominator of which is the Acquiror  Ratio. If the Acquiror
determines  so to increase the Exchange  Ratio within such five-day  period,  it
shall give prompt  written  notice to the Company of its  determination  and the
revised Exchange Ratio, whereupon no termination


                                      -56-

<PAGE>
shall occur pursuant to this Section  8.01(g) and this Agreement shall remain in
effect in  accordance  with its terms  (except as the Exchange  Ratio shall have
been so modified),  and any references in this Agreement to the "Exchange Ratio"
shall  thereafter be deemed to refer to the Exchange Ratio as adjusted  pursuant
to this Section 8.01(g).  If the Acquiror or any company  belonging to the Index
Group declares or effects a stock dividend, reclassification,  recapitalization,
split-up,  combination,  exchange of shares or similar  transaction  between the
Starting Date and the Determination Date, the prices for the common stock of the
Acquiror or such  company  shall be  appropriately  adjusted for the purposes of
applying this Section 8.01(g).

          8.02  Effect  of  Termination  and   Abandonment.   In  the  event  of
termination of this Agreement and the abandonment of the Merger pursuant to this
Article  VIII,  no party to this  Agreement  shall have any liability or further
obligation to any other party hereunder except (a) as set forth in Sections 8.03
and 9.01 and (b) that  termination  will not  relieve  a  breaching  party  from
liability  for  any  willful  breach  of  this  Agreement  giving  rise  to such
termination.

          8.03  Termination  Fee.  (a) The Company  hereby  agrees to pay to the
Acquiror,  and the  Acquiror  shall be  entitled  to payment of, a cash fee (the
"Fee") of $15,000,000 following the occurrence of a Fee Trigger Event; provided,
that the Acquiror's right to receive the Fee shall be discontinued if any of the
following (each, a "Fee Termination Event") occurs prior to a Fee Trigger Event:
 
                   (i) The Effective Time;

                  (ii)  Termination  of this  Agreement in  accordance  with the
          provisions hereof, if such termination occurs prior to the occurrence
         of a Preliminary Fee Trigger Event, other than a Listed Termination; or

                  (iii) Fifteen months after  termination of this Agreement,  if
         such  termination  (A)  follows,  or  occurs  at the  same  time  as, a
         Preliminary  Fee Trigger Event (other than,  termination by the Company
         pursuant to (x) Section  8.01(b)  because of a knowing,  intentional or
         grossly  negligent  breach by the Acquiror or (y) Section  8.01(g),  in
         which case the right to receive the Fee shall  terminate at termination
         of this Agreement) or (B) is a Listed Termination.

                  (b) The term "Preliminary Fee Trigger Event" shall mean any of
the following events or transactions occurring on or after the date hereof:

                  (i) The  Company or any  subsidiary  of the  Company,  without
         having  received  the  Acquiror's  prior  written  consent,  shall have
         entered into an agreement to engage in an Acquisition  Transaction with
         any person (the term  "person" for purposes of this Section 8.03 having
         the meaning assigned thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the


                                      -57-

<PAGE>
         Exchange Act) other than the Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries  (each
         an "Acquiror  Person") or the Company Board shall have recommended that
         the  stockholders  of the  Company  approve or accept  any  Acquisition
         Transaction other than the Merger.

                  (ii) Any  person,  other than an Acquiror  Person,  shall have
         acquired  beneficial  ownership  or the  right  to  acquire  beneficial
         ownership of 15% or more of the  outstanding  shares of Company  Common
         Stock (the term  "beneficial  ownership"  for  purposes of this Section
         8.03  having the  meaning  assigned  thereto  in  Section  13(d) of the
         Exchange Act);

                  (iii) The  stockholders  of the  Company  shall have voted and
         failed to adopt this  Agreement  and the Merger at a meeting  which has
         been held for that purpose or any adjournment or postponement  thereof,
         or such meeting shall not have been held in violation of this Agreement
         or shall have been canceled prior to termination of this Agreement,  in
         each case, if, prior to such meeting (or if such meeting shall not have
         been held or shall have been canceled,  prior to such termination),  it
         shall  have been  publicly  announced  that any person  (other  than an
         Acquiror  Person) shall have made, or disclosed an intention to make, a
         bona fide proposal to engage in an Acquisition Transaction;

                  (iv) The Company  Board shall have  withdrawn  or modified (or
         disclosed its  intention to withdraw or modify) in a manner  adverse in
         any respect to the Acquiror its  recommendation  referred to in Section
         6.02,  or the Company or any  Subsidiary  of it shall have  authorized,
         recommended,   proposed  (or  publicly   announced   its  intention  to
         authorize,   recommend  or  propose)  an  agreement  to  engage  in  an
         Acquisition Transaction with any person other than an Acquiror Person;

                  (v) Any person, other than an Acquiror Person, shall have made
         a bona fide  proposal  to the  Company or its  stockholders,  by public
         announcement or written communication that is or becomes the subject of
         public disclosure, to engage in an Acquisition Transaction;

                  (vi) Any  person,  other than an Acquiror  Person,  shall have
         filed with the SEC a registration  statement or tender offer  materials
         with  respect  to a  potential  exchange  or tender  offer  that  would
         constitute an  Acquisition  Transaction  (or filed a preliminary  proxy
         statement  with  the  SEC  with  respect  to a  potential  vote  by its
         stockholders to approve the issuance of shares to be offered in such an
         exchange offer); or

                  (vii) The Company shall have  willfully  breached any covenant
         or obligation  contained in this Agreement in  anticipation of engaging
         in an Acquisition  Transaction,  and following such breach the Acquiror
         would be entitled to terminate this Agreement  (whether  immediately or
         after the giving of notice or passage of time or both).



                                      -58-

<PAGE>
          (c) The term  "Fee  Trigger  Event"  shall  mean any of the  following
events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:

                   (i) The  acquisition by any person (other than an Acquiror 
         Person) of beneficial  ownership  of 25% or more of the  then  
         outstanding  Company  Common Stock; or

                  (ii) The  occurrence  of the  Preliminary  Fee  Trigger  Event
         described in Section 8.03(b)(i), except that the percentage referred to
         in clause (iii) of the definition of "Acquisition Transaction" shall be
         deemed 25%.

                  (d) The Company shall notify the Acquiror  promptly in writing
of its knowledge of the  occurrence  of a  Preliminary  Fee Trigger Event or Fee
Trigger Event; provided,  however, that the giving of such notice shall not be a
condition to the right of the Acquiror to the Fee.

                  (e) The Fee shall be payable, without setoff, by wire transfer
in immediately  available  funds, to an account  specified by the Acquiror,  not
later than three New York City business days following the first occurrence of a
Fee Trigger Event.


                                   ARTICLE IX

                                  Miscellaneous

          9.01  Survival.   No  representations,   warranties,   agreements  and
covenants  contained  in this  Agreement  (other than in this  Article IX) shall
survive the Effective Time or termination of this Agreement if this Agreement is
terminated  prior  to the  Effective  Time;  provided,  however,  that  if  this
Agreement is  terminated  prior to the  Effective  Time,  the  agreements of the
parties contained in Sections  6.05(b),  8.02, 8.03 and Article IX shall survive
such termination.

          9.02 Waiver; Amendment.  Prior to the Effective Time, any provision of
this Agreement may be (a) waived by the party  benefitted by the  provision,  or
(b) amended or  modified at any time,  by an  agreement  in writing  between the
parties hereto approved by their respective  Boards of Directors and executed in
the same manner as this Agreement,  except that, after approval of the Merger by
the stockholders of the Company, no amendment may be made which under applicable
law  requires  further  approval of such  stockholders  without  obtaining  such
required further approval.

          9.03  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original.


                                      -59-

<PAGE>
          9.04  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement   shall  be  governed  by,  and
interpreted in accordance  with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.

          9.05  Expenses.  Subject to Section 8.03,  each party hereto will bear
all  expenses  incurred  by  it  in  connection  with  this  Agreement  and  the
transactions   contemplated  hereby,  except  that  printing  expenses  and  SEC
registration fees shall be shared equally between the Company and the Acquiror.

          9.06 Notices. All notices, requests and other communications hereunder
to a party  shall be in  writing  and shall be  deemed  given (a) on the date of
delivery, if personally delivered or telecopied (with confirmation),  (b) on the
first business day following the date of dispatch,  if delivered by a recognized
next-day courier service, or (c) on the third business day following the date of
mailing,  if mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt  requested),
in each case to such party at its address or telecopy  number set forth below or
such other address or numbers as such party may specify by notice to the parties
hereto.

If to the Company, to:

         President
         North American Mortgage Company
         3883 Airway Drive
         Santa Rose, California 95403
         Facsimile: (704) 542-6721

With a copy to:

         James M. Cotter, Esq.
         Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
         425 Lexington Avenue
         New York, New York  10017
         Facsimile:  (212) 455-2502.

If to the Acquiror, to:

         Gene C. Brooks, Esq.
         Dime Bancorp, Inc.
         509 Fifth Avenue
         New York, New York 10017
         Facsimile: (212) 386-6110


                                      -60-

<PAGE>
With a copy to:

         Mitchell S. Eitel, Esq.
         Sullivan & Cromwell
         125 Broad Street
         New York, New York 10004
         Facsimile:  (212) 558-3588.

          9.07  Entire  Understanding;   No  Third  Party  Beneficiaries.   This
Agreement  (together  with  the  Disclosure  Schedules)  represents  the  entire
understanding   of  the  parties  hereto  with  reference  to  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  and this  Agreement  supersedes  any and all other oral or
written  agreements  heretofore made.  Except for Section 6.13,  insofar as such
Section  expressly  provides  certain  rights to the  Indemnified  Parties named
therein, nothing in this Agreement,  expressed or implied, is intended to confer
upon any person,  other than the parties hereto or their  respective  successors
and permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or
by reason of this Agreement.

                                 *      *      *


                                      -61-

                                                                     Exhibit 11
<TABLE>

                         Earnings Per Share Calculations
                           Quarter Ended June 30, 1997


Primary Earnings Per Share
<CAPTION>

                                                      Quarterly                      Year-to-Date
                                                  Shares          EPS            Shares            EPS
                                                  ------          ---            ------            ---

<S>                                           <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>   
    Average Shares Outstanding                 14,014,655       $ 0.53           14,040,277      $ 1.02
    CSE Incremental Shares                        199,851                           208,428
                                               ----------                        ----------
       Total Average Shares Outstanding        14,214,506       $ 0.52           14,248,705      $ 1.00
                                               ==========                        ==========

    Dilution                                                      1.41%                            1.46%

    Net Income                                             $ 7,424,000                     $ 14,312,000
                                                             =========                       ==========



Fully Diluted Earnings Per Share
                                                      Quarterly                      Year-to-Date
                                                  Shares          EPS            Shares            EPS
                                                  ------          ---            ------            ---

<S>                                           <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>   
    Average Shares Outstanding                 14,014,655       $ 0.53           14,040,277      $ 1.02
    CSE Incremental Shares                        301,015                           303,029
                                               ----------                         ---------
       Total Average Shares Outstanding        14,315,670       $ 0.52           14,343,306      $ 1.00
                                               ==========                        ==========

    Dilution                                                     2.10%                            2.11%

    Net Income                                            $ 7,424,000                     $ 14,312,000
                                                            =========                       ==========

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
Consolidated  Balance Sheets and Consolidated  Statements of Operations found on
pages 2  through  5 of the  Company's  Form  10-Q for the  year-to-date,  and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                          0000882261
<NAME>                                         Financial Data Schedule
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     0
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<CASH>                                         9,833
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  68,290
<ALLOWANCES>                                   0
<INVENTORY>                                    0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               0
<PP&E>                                         38,676
<DEPRECIATION>                                 2,056
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 863,559
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          0
<BONDS>                                        0
                          0
                                    0
<COMMON>                                       164
<OTHER-SE>                                     0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   863,559
<SALES>                                        0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               88,297
<CGS>                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             2,452
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                12,506
<INCOME-TAX>                                   5,082
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            0
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   7,424
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.53
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0
        


</TABLE>


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