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 · Non-QM
Non-QM leads for self-employed and bank statement borrowers
Non-QM leads are borrowers whose income or credit story doesn’t fit agency guidelines, most often self-employed people whose tax returns understate what they actually earn.
Who they are
Who Non-QM leads are
The typical non-QM borrower owns a business, works as a contractor or earns through commissions or gig platforms. Their tax returns show heavy write-offs, so a conventional lender says no even though deposits tell a different story. Bank statement programs qualify them using 12 or 24 months of personal or business statements instead of tax returns.
Many have already been declined somewhere, so they arrive skeptical and a little frustrated. They want to know whether you can actually do the loan, how much down payment they need, and how much more the rate will cost compared with a conventional loan. Non-QM also covers asset-depletion, recent credit events and other scenarios agency loans don’t handle.
These files take more expertise and more documentation, but they are less shopped than standard purchase loans because fewer lenders can close them. A loan officer with good non-QM investors and the patience to structure the file has a real edge here. Speed still matters, but expertise matters more: the borrower wants proof you can close.
Playbook
How to work Non-QM leads
What the best-performing teams do from the moment the lead lands.
- 01
Diagnose why agency loans don’t fit
Ask how they earn their income, how long they have been self-employed, and whether they have been declined before and why. The answer tells you whether this is a bank statement, profit-and-loss, asset-based or credit-event scenario, and which investor to start with.
- 02
Request statements early
Ask for 12 or 24 months of bank statements, personal or business, as soon as they are comfortable. Run a quick deposit analysis before quoting. Showing a realistic qualifying income on the second call builds credibility faster than any rate sheet.
- 03
Set honest expectations on cost
Non-QM rates, down payments and reserves are usually higher than agency loans. Say so plainly and explain why. Borrowers who were declined elsewhere mostly want a clear yes and a clear price; surprises at underwriting are what lose these files.
- 04
Plan the long game
Tell the borrower what a future refinance into an agency loan might take, such as two years of tax returns showing higher income. That plan answers their concern about the higher rate and keeps them as your client for the next loan.
Campaign setup
Set up your campaign
Recommended settings for buying Non-QM leads on Maple Leads.
- Hot and Warm tiers both make sense; fewer lenders compete for these files, so a callback within an hour or two is often still in time.
- Filter by loan amount, property value and credit score band to match your investors’ minimums and pricing grids.
- Filter by the states where you have non-QM investors approved, not just where you’re licensed.
- Route non-QM leads to loan officers experienced with bank statement analysis rather than a general queue.
- Track results by funded loan, not contact rate; non-QM files take longer but often carry larger loan amounts.
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 Non-QM lead, set by its age when it's routed to you. Same ladder for every lead type.Full pricing
Start receiving Non-QM leads.
Tell us the lead types, states and volume you want. We'll set up your first campaign with you and show you live inventory for your market.
- Real-time delivery to your CRM
- Hot 1 leads exclusive for the first 15 minutes
- 48-hour returns on bad contact data
Ready to buy now? Create your buyer account
FAQ
Non-QM leads questions
Are non-QM leads verified as self-employed?
No. Maple does not verify income, employment or self-employment. The lead tells you the consumer asked about a non-QM or bank statement loan and shared a self-reported credit band and loan amount. You confirm their situation by reviewing bank statements and other documents during your normal process.
Who typically fills out a non-QM form?
Mostly self-employed borrowers, business owners, contractors and commission earners whose tax returns understate their real income. You will also see borrowers with recent credit events or substantial assets but limited income. Many were declined by a conventional lender and are looking for an alternative.
Are non-QM leads less competitive than purchase leads?
Generally, because fewer lenders can close bank statement and alternative documentation loans. That doesn’t mean speed doesn’t matter; borrowers still contact more than one lender. But a well-structured file and a confident explanation often win over the fastest call, so prepare before you dial.
Can I filter non-QM leads by credit band?
Yes. Campaigns can filter on the self-reported credit score band, along with loan amount, property value, property type, occupancy, state and ZIP. Set the filters to match your investors’ guidelines. Since the band is self-reported, expect some variance once you pull credit.
What if the borrower’s bank statements don’t support the loan?
That is a qualification outcome and not a valid return reason. Returns cover data problems like disconnected or wrong numbers, duplicates, fake information, out-of-area leads, or a consumer who didn’t request contact. A borrower who doesn’t qualify today may with a few more months of deposits.
Related lead types
- Mortgage leadsDSCR loan leads
- Mortgage leadsJumbo mortgage leads
- Mortgage leadsPurchase mortgage leads
Guides
Buying leads
How to evaluate a mortgage or real estate lead vendor: 12 questions to ask
How to choose a mortgage lead vendor: 12 questions on sources, exclusivity, consent, returns and pricing, plus a pilot test plan, red flags and a scorecard.
· 8 min read
Your next borrower is filling out a form right now.
Create an account, fund your wallet and switch on a campaign. Your first lead can land in your CRM within minutes.
No subscription · No setup fee · Pay only for leads you receive