Almost every mortgage lending company and real estate company or agent works with mortgage leads. These leads are an important part of doing business; they help build a clientele base and secure sales on a regular basis. Buying mortgage leads from a company that gleans information about potential clients, usually from the Internet, or obtaining leads directly through a website are two of the main methods used by mortgage lenders and real estate brokers.

Methods of obtaining mortgage leads are varied. One way is for a mortgage lending company or broker, or a real estate firm or broker, to build a website that attracts potential customers. The website can be advertised as a place for those interested in obtaining mortgage loans or purchasing property to see listings or get quotes on mortgage loans. In the process of getting the information that they need, people will supply information that can then be used to potentially put them on mortgage leads lists.

Another method for obtaining leads is cold calling. Cold calling means simply going through a list of residents and calling to ask if they would be interested in obtaining a mortgage loan, refinancing a mortgage loan, or purchasing property any time in the near future. A small percentage of these calls can be turned into potential leads, and those leads will be listed and then followed up.

Other methods of obtaining mortgage leads include lists of names from real estate seminars, or targeting newly married couples or new area residents. All of these methods can work, though some of the methods produce better leads than others.