The Harper Financial Founders
Norman Novinsky
Managing Partner
I am a: bankruptcy attorney for 43 years, former adjunct professor and businessman making the transition into the mortgage business as managing partner of Harper Financial.
I’m from: Waverly, New York, a small town of 6,000.
As a kid, I wanted to be: an attorney.
My favorite movies are: Blues Brothers, Goodfellas, and American Hustle.
My experience as an attorney has helped me to: stay grounded as to the needs of others less fortunate.
I co-founded Harper Financial: because subprime lending has virtually disappeared since the mortgage crisis. Conforming lending has become even more rigid and inflexible. This has created a huge need for non-conforming lending that allows business people to expand their businesses. We are solution-oriented and our goal is to help hard working people not only to grow their businesses, but also have the ability to seize opportunities that may be available to them.
Harper Financial is special because: we are committed to your success and work with you to provide the safest and smartest exit strategy.
A good lender should: listen to the needs of the client and analyze the loan request and how to best structure the loan to fulfill the borrower’s needs, while maintaining sound lending principals.
Our solutions: are unique because of our backgrounds. For example, because of my background in law, I have in-depth knowledge of liens and encumbrances and how to work with them and navigate through difficult situations. Our loans are short-term loans, so it is important that we stay in communication with our clients and work with them to achieve a graceful exit.
I’m driven by: solving business problems and putting deals together, especially when it’s for people who would otherwise not have a chance.
Winnie Uniacke
Managing Partner/Senior Loan Strategist
I am: the proud managing partner and senior loan strategist for Harper Financial. I had various careers until I discovered banking and that has become my passion. Many years ago, my business partner, Norman, said that he couldn’t get his difficult bankruptcies cases refinanced. I studied all the guidelines and between Norman and I, we figured how to get it done! We took our problem solving abilities and understanding of lending guidelines and bankruptcy law and grew a large mortgage company. Now we are bringing this type of problem solving to the commercial arena.
I’m from: Quincy, MA.
My experience has helped me to: understand that once a loan closes, it is not the end of our responsibility to our client. We monitor them to make sure that they can achieve their exit strategy. I take pride in being a problem solver. It’s fascinating to review a client’s financial situation and be part of the solution and help them achieve their goals.
I think it is important to: have my actions match my words and always work in our clients’ best interests.
Harper Financial is special because: we understand that once someone has fallen into financial despair, there is a dramatic change in that person’s DNA, so to speak. A once highly successful person may not make it back again, even though he or she has the tools. There is a change in his/her behavior and a desperation as well as clouded judgment. Some feel that they don’t have anything to lose, or they are so desperate to re-establish themselves quickly that they throw caution to the wind. It is our job to understand the goals and help these clients achieve them, while making and facilitating safe and sound loans.
Our goal is to: build a solid, reliable company with stellar customer service. We don’t have to be the biggest, but we have to be the best.
I always tell my clients: you didn’t get into this problem overnight, and we can’t get you out of it overnight, but when you look back a year from now, you will be amazed at how much you’ve progressed and we will still be standing beside you.
When it comes to hard money lending you’ll be surprised to know: creativity counts. There are always solutions for every problem, but our problem solving abilities as well as our solid knowledge of law and lending help create a viable solution.
I’m inspired by: a job well done.
The one thing I want you to know is: I always work in my client’s best interest. They come first.