Professional Profile

Thank you for choosing to visit our website. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself, our chosen objectives and what makes us different from other financial advisors.

My name is Alison Winrow and I manage St James Associates Mortgage Solutions. My professional background stems from the banking and finance sector. During 1998, I was appointed as a financial advisor for a major high street bank. My clients ranged from personal clients to sole traders, partnerships and limited companies. For many years, I enjoyed advising my clients on all areas of their financial interests. During this time, I began to develop the idea that I could provide a better, more focussed service by specialising in one particular discipline. Eventually, I left the bank to become a Financial Services Manager, specialising in mortgages, for a large chain of estate agents. There, I provided advice to my clients regarding their new mortgages and trained office staff to give information to clients regarding mortgages, allowing the clients to make their own choices. It was during my time at the estate agency that I realised that people are becoming more financially aware of what is available to them, mortgage wise, and that there are more avenues for advice than solely at a bank or building society. There is the Internet, the financial press, an Independent Financial Advisor and there are also people specialising in mortgages - Independent Mortgage Specialists. Looking for a mortgage on your own can be cumbersome and it is good to get some advice from a professional, even if it is just to confirm that your method and selection criteria are sound for your individual circumstances. There is a great wealth of information available to the public when it comes to mortgages, but these sources don't often tailor their solutions to an individuals' needs. What's good for one borrower may not be so good for another. Going directly to a mortgage lender may seem like the simplest method of obtaining a mortgage. However, there may be some exclusive deals available to brokers and financial advisors that may not be available to you by going to the mortgage lender directly. In 2003, I made the decision to set up my own business. I wanted to provide that little bit more in the way of service to my clients. I envisaged St James Associates Mortgage Solutions providing a complete service to my clients - not only by offering independent, bespoke advice, but also recommending mortgages, associated protection products and other services to make the house buying process smoother. That is, recommending good solicitors, removal companies, liasing with estate agents to keep them informed of the mortgage progression, even recommending a locksmith to check the house locks to ensure that they meet the standard for insurance policies. Being truly independent means that I have no loyalties to any particular companies. My first duty is to my clients and I believe in providing a truly first class, personal service that is rarely found with the common, in-house financial advisor. So, now you know a little more about me and what my business aims to do. I hope you enjoy browsing around the website and that you find some useful information. I can be contacted either via email or phone. My contact details can be found on the contact page. I hope to speak to you soon.