There are many mortgage lead companies out there to choose from. Each with their own individual way of obtaining leads to sell to loan officers. But remember, you get what you pay for.

Lead companies sell their leads in a variety of ways. Some allow you to cherry pick, some allow you to set up a filter, and some only sell in bulk.

The pricing on leads from company to company varies also, as you’ll see, it depends on what you are buying.

Some lead companies buy their leads from other companies and sell them in bulk, or recycle them at a profit.

Some lead companies sell their leads “fresh” or “real time,” meaning the lead is brand new. Approximately ten minutes old by the time it reaches you.

When you are buying leads that have been recycled, you will most likely get a lot of them. Lets suppose you have one hundred dollars to spend on recycled leads. This will get you about fifty leads at two dollars a piece. This is a lot of leads to work with. However, the quality of the leads will leave a lot to be desired. You will also find that you wasted not only your money but your time as well. Calling fifty people takes a while.

Now, if you decide to buy “real time” leads, that same one hundred dollars will get you any where from five to eight leads, but remember, these leads are fresh, they are hot off the press, so your chances of closing a few loans are much better than if you bought recycled leads.

Remember. You get what you pay for.

Also, when you are buying leads, it is important for you to know where the leads are coming from.

Have you ever had the painful experience of calling someone, and having them say to you; You are the twentieth person to call me this week. Or, I applied for that months ago, I closed the loan last week.

I was a loan officer for a number of years and I know the feeling.

When you hear responses like the ones you heard in the above paragraph, it should be an indication to you that the leads you bought have been recycled.

Most likely they have been passed around from lead company to lead company.

When you are doing your research for a good lead company, make sure you talk to a representative from that company, and find out where the leads are coming from. If the representative can’t give you a clear answer than move on.

The best lead companies to deal with are the ones that own and operate their own sites where prospects can come on and fill out on-line applications. This way you know exactly where the lead is coming from, and you don’t have to worry about being the tenth person to buy the same lead.

If you decide to buy leads from a lead company, make sure you do your research. Research is the key. You have worked hard for your money, so make sure the leads you buy give you a good return on your investment.