Originating Branch Manager · Team Lambros, Preferred Rate
NMLS #174206
When Nicole Lambros entered the mortgage industry more than 25 years ago, she observed that clients were being pushed through a process, rather than guided. That observation shaped everything she has built since. As originating branch manager at Preferred Rate and leader of Team Lambros, she serves buyers across Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin with a practice built largely on referrals from agents and past clients who trust her to take care of the people they send her way.
Lambros handles the full range of financing. Her preapproval process is thorough by design. Income, assets, credit and documentation are reviewed up front so clients enter a competitive market with an offer that carries real weight. When other lenders fall short with closing weeks away, agents frequently call on Lambros to step in — something her team handles regularly and well.
Known to clients and colleagues alike as “Mommy Money,” Lambros built that brand as a natural extension of who she is — a mom, business owner and top-producing lender who believes mortgage conversations should feel like talking to someone you trust. Through short video content and real-life lending scenarios, she breaks down complex topics into clear, plain-language guidance aimed at families, first-time buyers and everyday clients. The brand has grown in her market, fueling repeat and referral relationships.
The Scotsman Guide has included Lambros on its Top Originators list, placing her in the top 1% of mortgage professionals nationally, and on its Top Women Originators list, ranking her in the top 0.5% among women in the field. She consistently places as the top loan officer within Preferred Rate and has received her company’s President’s Club award for over a decade.
When not working, Lambros focuses on her two daughters and husband and recharges through travel. She’s a talented singer who brings that same energy into her personal life.
[email protected] preferredrate.com/loan-officer/nicole-lambros
Profile summarized from Chicago Agent Magazine’s 2026 Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate: https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/whos-who-2026/nicole-lambros-4/