Mortgage leads are inquiries from consumers who may be considering a home purchase, refinance or another mortgage transaction.
Lead vendors may sell form submissions, phone calls, exclusive leads, shared leads or transfers. Mortgage buyers should understand not just the contact data but the commercial structure behind the lead-generation platform.
Lead Types
- purchase
- refinance
- cash-out refinance
- first-time buyer
- other lender-defined categories
Delivery Models
| Model | Main question |
|---|---|
| Shared | How many lenders receive the inquiry? |
| Exclusive | How is exclusivity defined? |
| Inbound call | What marketing created the call? |
| Qualified lead | Which factual criteria were verified? |
| Transfer | What happened before connection? |
RESPA Considerations
CFPB guidance explains that RESPA Section 8 prohibits certain payments for referrals of settlement-service business associated with federally related mortgage loans, while legitimate marketing services may be treated differently depending on the facts and compensation structure.
The CFPB has also addressed digital mortgage comparison platforms that generate leads, explaining that compensated non-neutral steering can create Section 8 concerns.
For that reason, a mortgage buyer should understand whether a vendor is merely selling advertising/lead-generation services or operating a paid placement/referral mechanism.
Economics
Track:
lead → contacted borrower → application → completed file → approval → funded loan
CPL alone is insufficient.
Vendor Due Diligence
Ask about:
- source
- ranking/placement methodology
- compensation
- exclusivity
- lead age
- consumer disclosures
- loan intent
- duplicate rules
- attribution
Call Center Magic does not determine whether a particular compensation arrangement complies with RESPA.