Buying leads
Cost per funded loan: the only lead metric that matters
How to calculate cost per funded loan from lead price, contact, application and funding rates, with worked examples for exclusive, shared and aged leads.
· 7 min read
Mortgage · Home equity
HELOC leads from homeowners who want to keep their first mortgage
HELOC leads are homeowners who want to borrow against their equity, usually without refinancing a low first-mortgage rate. They are planners with a specific project or debt in mind.
Who they are
Who HELOC leads are
Home equity borrowers already own a home, often with years of payments behind them and a first mortgage they don’t want to touch. A home equity line of credit gives them a revolving line they can draw as needed; a home equity loan gives them a lump sum at a fixed rate. Both appear under this page because the conversations overlap.
The trigger is usually concrete: a kitchen or roof, high-interest credit card debt, tuition, or a medical bill. These borrowers ask about combined loan-to-value limits, whether the rate is variable, draw and repayment periods, and closing costs. They are less rushed than purchase buyers but they do compare options, including a cash-out refinance and personal loans.
Home equity leads suit lenders, credit unions and brokers with a strong second-lien product. If you mainly do first mortgages, they also open a relationship with a homeowner who may refinance or buy their next home with you later. Either way, the conversation starts with equity: an honest estimate of what the home is worth today and what they still owe.
Playbook
How to work HELOC leads
What the best-performing teams do from the moment the lead lands.
- 01
Start with the purpose and amount
Ask what the money is for and when they need it. A renovation with staged payments fits a line of credit; paying off a fixed debt may fit a home equity loan. The purpose also tells you how much urgency there is and which follow-up messages will resonate.
- 02
Estimate combined loan-to-value
Get their current first-mortgage balance and check the property value they estimated on the form. Combined loan-to-value is the first gate for most equity products. If they don’t have enough equity, say so on the first call and suggest when it might make sense to revisit.
- 03
Compare honestly against a cash-out refinance
Lay out a HELOC or home equity loan next to a cash-out refinance, using their actual first-mortgage rate. When that rate is low, a second lien usually wins; when it is high, a refinance may. Borrowers trust the lender who shows both.
- 04
Follow up on their project timeline
Many equity borrowers are waiting on contractor quotes or a tuition bill. Ask when those will arrive and schedule follow-ups around them. A short check-in at the right moment converts better than daily calls to someone who isn’t ready to sign.
Campaign setup
Set up your campaign
Recommended settings for buying HELOC leads on Maple Leads.
- Warm tiers are a sensible starting point: home equity borrowers are planning, not racing, so a callback within an hour or two still lands.
- Add Hot tiers if your second-lien pricing is competitive and you want first contact before the borrower checks their own bank.
- Filter by loan amount to match your product’s minimum and maximum line sizes.
- Filter by credit score band, since second-lien guidelines and pricing tighten in the Fair and Poor bands.
- Use the occupancy filter if your equity product is limited to primary residences or excludes investment properties.
- Buy HELOC and home equity loan leads in one campaign if you offer both, or split them if only one product is competitive.
Pricing
Priced by speed
Hot 1
$110
Under 15 min
Exclusive · 1 buyerHot 2
$85
15 min – 30 min
Up to 2 buyersHot 3
$65
30 min – 45 min
Up to 3 buyersWarm 1
$55
45 min – 2 h
Up to 3 buyersWarm 2
$45
2 h – 4 h
Up to 3 buyersWarm 3
$35
4 h – 8 h
Up to 3 buyersCold 1
$20
8 h – 12 h
Up to 5 buyersCold 2
$15
12 h – 18 h
Up to 5 buyersCold 3
$10
18 h – 24 h
Up to 5 buyersAged
$5
1–30 days
Up to 50 buyers
Price per HELOC lead, set by its age when it's routed to you. Same ladder for every lead type.Full pricing
Start receiving HELOC leads.
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- Hot 1 leads exclusive for the first 15 minutes
- 48-hour returns on bad contact data
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FAQ
HELOC leads questions
Does a HELOC lead tell me how much equity the homeowner has?
Not directly. The lead includes the homeowner’s estimated property value and requested loan amount, plus a self-reported credit score band, property type and occupancy. It does not include their current mortgage balance. Ask for it on the first call to estimate combined loan-to-value; an automated valuation or appraisal confirms the value later.
Can I buy only HELOC leads and skip home equity loans?
Yes. HELOC and Home Equity Loan are separate lead types in campaign filters, so you can buy one or both. If your line-of-credit product is competitive but your fixed-rate second is not, filter to HELOC only and route the others elsewhere.
Which tiers suit home equity leads?
Home equity borrowers usually have a project or debt timeline rather than a same-day deadline, so Warm tiers often give good value if you call within a couple of hours. Hot tiers are worth testing if you want to reach them before they check with their own bank or credit union.
Are these the same as cash-out refinance leads?
No. Cash-out refinance leads want to replace their first mortgage. HELOC and home equity loan leads want to keep it and add a second lien. The motivation is similar, so consider buying both and showing borrowers the comparison; the right answer often depends on their current first-mortgage rate.
What if the homeowner doesn’t have enough equity?
That is a qualification outcome, not a valid return reason. Explain what combined loan-to-value they would need and keep them in a follow-up plan. Returns cover issues like disconnected or wrong numbers, duplicates, fake information and leads outside your service area, opened within 48 hours.
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Guides
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