Maria Hargreaves

My career experience so far

I started my working career in legal services, managing conveyancing cases. I then had a total career change and joined Cheltenham & Gloucester as a Mortgage Adviser and worked my way up to Branch Manager - I even completed CeMAP when it was voluntary in 2001. I later changed career paths again, spending 12 years in registration services/wedding ceremonies before returning to financial services in various Mortgage Advisor and Financial Advisor roles. 

What I love most about my current role

I most enjoy speaking to people about mortgages - this is my comfort zone.  I'm a people person and I'm always happy to try to help find ways we ‘can do’ the mortgage.

What motivates me at work

I work best when I'm busy and seeing the work complete at the end of the day. I also enjoy taking on new challenges.

My hobbies outside of work

I play golf, however I'm no Laura Davies - ‘all the gear, no idea’ you could say! I really enjoy the social aspect of it though.

A fun fact about me

A friend once told me that I've had a very colourful life so far, so it's difficult to find just one. My mother is Spanish, so I speak fluent Spanish and the majority of my family live in Marbella, which has plenty of good golf courses in the vicinity. On the subject of golf in Spain, I was once locked in the actual golf club one evening whilst using the facilities to change. When I came out of the changing rooms, everything had been locked up and our only exit plan was to climb out through a first floor window!

A topic I could talk about for hours

Anybody who knows me knows that I can talk! In fact, at a previous workplace I was nicknamed ‘Chatty Chatham’ (Chatham in Kent being my birth place). I love talking about fashion, shopping, house interiors, all things girly... and Christmas.

Tea or coffee

Fresh percolated coffee, especially first thing in the morning to kick start me for the day ahead.

Favourite film

I'm very much a 'chick flick' person. Pretty Woman, Grease, Overboard and Home Alone, to name a few. There's nothing better on an autumn/winter Sunday afternoon (when the weather is miserable) than settling down to watch a classic. I also enjoy films like Heat, Gladiator (first one) and Pulp Fiction.