By Heather Clarke

New Member Profile

For more than half a century, Jim Munro has been in the mortgage business. But having spent 51 years working in the finance industry, he jokes he’d “rather work with banks than for them.”
That’s why Munro is so content in his current gig. The high-energy 72-year-old is the only Truro-based mortgage specialist with Premiere Mortgage Centre.
Munro says there is a perception that “mortgage brokers are where you go when you can’t get a mortgage from the bank,” but he says that isn’t true at all.
“Most of my clients are young professionals who could probably get a mortgage anywhere they wanted,” says Munro. “But real estate agents, lawyers, and financial planners send them to me because they know I’ll spend a lot of time with them -- and do a good job.”
Munro says what separates him from a mortgage specialist in a bank is that he takes the time to offer more personalized service.
“I spend close to two hours with all of my new clients,” says Munro. “I could never understand how someone can go into a bank for 20 minutes and come out with a mortgage.”
He believes a longer appointment is required in order for his clients to make the right decision.
“Purchasing a home is often the biggest investment you’ll make, so you deserve to have a lot of time and a lot of options,” says Munro. “I deal with close to 20 different lenders, and that allows me to give clients a lot of options, and we can look at what’s best for them.”
Munro got into the financial services industry back in 1961, doing loans and mortgages for a Halifax-based company called AVCO Financial Services -- which was later bought out by CitiFinancial. A charter member of the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals, Munro spent the next 32 years travelling and working in every province.
But the Pictou County native was grateful to return home to Nova Scotia in 1993, and settled down here in Truro. After selling real estate for five years, he became intrigued by the idea of working as an independent contractor for Premiere Mortgage Centre, because it seemed to offer “the best of both worlds.”
“I love it. This is an ideal situation for me, working out of a home office,” says Munro. “I get to set my own hours and do my own thing, but I’m also proud to be part of a young, growing company with good ethics.”
“I don’t do a lot of advertising, but I have a good reputation and clients continue to refer their friends and family to me.”
Munro has no immediate plans to retire, although he thinks he’ll probably bring someone into the business within the next few years to learn the ropes.
“As long as my health is good, and I’m still enjoying what I’m doing, I’m not going to slow down,” says Munro. “I meet so many great people, and it’s just interesting work.”
“I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and I like to think I’m pretty good at it.”