AI Lead Scoring for Mortgage Brokers: How It Works

Every mortgage broker knows the feeling: a lead comes in, you spend 30 minutes qualifying it manually, and it turns out the applicant's DTI is 9x with a casual employment history. AI lead scoring does that qualification in seconds, grading each lead from A (strong, proceed immediately) to F (unlikely to convert) based on the financial data available at intake.

What data does AI scoring use?

The scoring model evaluates: loan amount vs property value (LVR), gross income vs total debt (DTI), employment type and stability (PAYG vs self-employed vs casual), existing debts and monthly expenses, partner/co-borrower income, and first-home-buyer eligibility for government schemes. Each factor contributes to a composite score from 0-100 that maps to a letter grade.

How grades map to broker actions

Grade A (80-100): Strong lead, proceed with confidence. LVR under 80%, stable employment, manageable DTI. Grade B (60-79): Good lead with minor flags, maybe a high LVR or casual employment. Worth pursuing with documentation. Grade C (40-59): Requires review, DTI is borderline or employment type adds risk. Grade D (20-39): Challenging, multiple risk factors. Grade F (0-19): Very unlikely to convert under current regulations.

Why speed matters

Brokers using AI scoring report contacting Grade A leads within 5 minutes of submission, compared to 2-4 hours for manual triage. That speed advantage translates directly into conversion rates, the first broker to call wins the deal in over 70% of cases. AI scoring doesn't replace broker judgement; it tells the broker which leads to call first.