“Interesting” may be the best way to describe Niko Lambrinatos’ path to mortgage financing. Lambrinatos was a college student trying to gain acceptance into a pre-dentistry program while a friend of his was quickly establishing himself in lending. “It became such a rewarding career for him that he paid off his father’s home as a gift,” Lambrinatos recalls. “That immediately resonated with me, and I realized that pre-med is not the only way to earn a rewarding and purposeful living.” He quickly switched his major to finance and followed the path to mortgage financing. To date, it is one of the best decisions he has ever made, especially considering that the sight of blood makes him queasy.

Now the branch sales manager with Paramount Residential Mortgage Group is raising a family in Lincolnwood, the town he grew up in, which gives him intimate knowledge of his North Shore territory. Lambrinatos assists first-time homebuyers in both the city and the northern suburbs. “One of the first things I envision when speaking with a new client is what their testimony will look like once the transaction is complete,” he says. “It guides me to constantly keep my service levels at 110%.” Throughout his 14 years in the industry, Lambrinatos has maintained a five-star ranking with customers.

Named by United Wholesale Mortgage as a top 1% lender and a top 20 purchase lender in Illinois from 2016 to 2018, Lambrinatos has a casual but informative approach with clients that makes the transaction process easy to understand and fun. Colleagues and partners in the industry have nicknamed him “The Mortgage Ninja,” because he uses the word “ninja” as a verb to describe how he uses creative problem-solving to turn difficult scenarios into approved mortgages.

Before lending, Lambrinatos worked as a professional singer, a skill he maintains as a hobby. “It’s pretty neat to know that I can finance your home and entertain at your housewarming party,” he says.