Lead intake & qualifying conversation
First contact with borrower; gather basics; decide soft vs. hard credit.
Overview
This is the first touch with a potential borrower — before any application exists in Arive, before any credit is pulled. The goal of the qualifying conversation is to understand who the borrower is, what they're trying to do, and whether they're ready to move forward. By the end of the call, you should have enough information to either start the application immediately or send them the online application link to complete on their own time.
This phase is intentionally informal. There are no SLAs at this stage and each LO has their own approach. What matters is that the conversation accomplishes its objectives, not that it follows a script.
Where leads come from
Guarantee Mortgage receives leads through several channels, and the first response varies by source.
Realtor referrals
Highest-trust source. The realtor has already vouched for us, and the borrower is expecting our outreach. The handoff itself happens in whatever channel the realtor used — text, email, direct call, or three-way introduction. All four are normal and happen daily.
The principle: respond promptly in the channel the realtor used. If they texted you the lead, text the borrower (or call if appropriate). If they emailed, reply by email or call — whatever fits. There's no fixed SLA, but a relationship-driven brokerage moves fast on relationship-driven referrals.
GoHighLevel inbound (web forms, ads, website)
GHL fires an automated text to the borrower immediately when the lead lands. The LO then takes ownership and continues the conversation in whichever channel the borrower prefers — text, call, or email.
Past clients, sphere, social media, walk-ins
No formal process. The LO who owns the relationship handles however they handle it. Document the lead source for your own tracking, but there's no required cadence.
No SLAs at this phase, on purpose. Don't assume there's a hidden rule you're breaking by responding in 30 minutes instead of 5. The expectation is "respond promptly in the borrower's preferred channel" — not "or you're failing." This is intentional: a relationship-driven brokerage doesn't run on inbound-lead SLAs the way a high-volume call center does.
The qualifying conversation
Once you're on the phone (or in a sustained text exchange), your job is to understand the borrower thoroughly enough to either start the 1003 right then or hand them an online application link with full context. Plan for 15–30 minutes.
Each LO has their own approach — there's no required script. But every qualifying conversation should accomplish three things:
- Gather the information needed to start the application (see checklist below)
- Surface anything that could complicate the loan — credit issues, recent job changes, complex income, other properties, divorces in progress, etc.
- Reach a decision on the next step: take the application now on the phone, or send the online application link
Information to collect
Gather all of this during the conversation. The more complete your notes, the faster the application gets started — whether you're keying it in live or sending the link.
Personal
- Full legal name (as it appears on ID)
- Phone and email
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number
- Current address
- Marital status
- Co-borrower info (name, relationship, basic contact) if applicable
Property and transaction
- Purchase or refinance
- Estimated property value or purchase price
- Estimated down payment (amount or percentage)
- Property type (SFR, condo, townhome, multi-unit)
- Property use (primary, second home, investment)
- Specific property address if under contract
- Realtor name and contact (if they have one)
- Timeline — how soon do they want to close?
Employment and income
- Employer name
- Job title or role
- Years at current job
- Pay structure — W2 salary, hourly, 1099, commission, self-employed
- Annual income (rough is fine at this stage)
- Co-borrower income, if applicable
- Other income sources — rental, investment, alimony, child support, etc.
Credit and financial
- Borrower's estimated credit score (their best guess)
- Whether they've checked credit recently
- Any known credit issues — bankruptcy, foreclosure, recent late pays, collections
- Estimated assets and source of down payment
- Other significant debts (large car loans, student debt, etc.)
- Other properties owned
The reason this matters: If the borrower elects to take the application on the phone right after this conversation, you've already gathered 80% of what the 1003 needs. You're transferring information from your notes into Arive, not asking the borrower the same questions twice. That's the real reason phone-taken applications convert better — you've made it effortless for the borrower.
Closing the conversation: phone-taken vs. online application
By the end of the call, you're guiding the borrower toward one of two outcomes:
Take the application now, on the phone
Higher conversion. If the borrower is engaged, ready to move forward, and you have time, knock the application out together right then. You walk them through it, key it in, and they're done. They don't have to find time later, log in, remember their info, or get distracted halfway through.
This is the preferred path when it's available.
Send the online application link
Use this when the borrower needs to step away — maybe they're on a work break, the conversation has already run long, or they want to gather their info (employer details, account numbers) before sitting down to fill it out.
Each LO has their own Arive online application URL. Send it via text or email with a brief note about what to expect.
How to read the borrower
If they're answering questions energetically, asking their own questions back, and clearly have time — move into the application. If they're getting short, distracted, or have mentioned a hard stop — send the link and follow up.
Soft pull vs. hard pull
Once the application is started, credit gets pulled. The default at Guarantee is a hard pull — most accurate scores, AUS-usable, no surprises later. If the borrower pushes back, we offer the soft pull option.
When to push for hard pull regardless of borrower preference
- Borrower is under contract or close to it. Time matters. We need accurate scores fast.
- Known credit issues surfaced during the qualifying call. If the borrower mentioned a recent BK, late pays, or collections, we want hard scores upfront so we know exactly what we're working with.
When soft pull is fine
Borrower is shopping, exploring options, not in a rush, and credit is presumed clean. They want to know what they could qualify for without committing.
Critical technical constraint: Soft pull credit cannot run AUS in Arive. You must have a hard pull to run DU/LP. If the borrower elects soft initially, you'll need to run a hard pull before you can run AUS and issue a final pre-approval. Don't promise a pre-approval timeline that requires AUS while still on a soft pull.
Common pitfalls for new LOs
Treating the call like data entry instead of discovery
The qualifying conversation isn't a checklist to race through. The information you gather is the means; understanding the borrower is the end. If you finish the call with a complete checklist but don't actually understand their situation, you're going to get blindsided later.
Half-gathering income information
"Roughly $80k" is fine for the conversation, but if you don't probe pay structure (W2 vs. 1099 vs. commission), you'll get burned at submission. Self-employed income, commission income, and rental income all have specific documentation requirements that take time to gather. Surface this on the call so you're not scrambling later.
Letting credit anxiety block the conversation
Borrowers often dodge credit questions because they're nervous about their score. Frame it as "I'm asking so I can put you in the right loan program" — not "I need to judge you." If they refuse to give an estimate, move on; you'll see it when you pull anyway.
Not asking about other properties
Easy to miss and creates major back-end friction. If the borrower owns rental property, second homes, or investment property, that affects DTI and program selection. Ask explicitly.
What "qualified" looks like
Most borrowers who get to a 15–30 minute conversation with an LO are qualified to at least start an application. The point of this step isn't to filter — it's to gather. Filtering happens at the AUS stage.
That said, if during the call you uncover something that makes the loan clearly unworkable in any program (recent BK that hasn't seasoned, employment that doesn't qualify, property type we don't lend on, etc.), be honest with the borrower, explain why, and let them know what would need to change.
Who to ask if you're stuck
Unusual scenarios on credit, income, or program fit: Bryce or Dean.
Realtor relationship questions: whoever owns that realtor relationship.
GHL automation issues: Bryce.