Extended Home Loan

I would like to know what is the issue with Standard Bank when applying for an extended homeloan?Firstly,one cant apply at your local branch,and then, by going to a city branch,the consultant's advice is rather stoic.Applying telephonically went better,apart from speaking to tens of different consultants,spending hours answering hundreds of security answers wasting lots of airtime everyday just to find out IF your application has been successful.Nearly a month later and no immediate answer.Surely there are other financial institutions willing to loan R250000 within a minutes notice?If that tends to be Standard Banks way of doing business,one should rather play safe and apply to banks higher up the alphabet.......