Pricing Inquiry Scripts
Pricing Inquiry Response Scripts for Mortgage Brokers
Pricing calls for mortgage brokers are tricky because the client isn’t really buying “your fee”—they’re buying a loan structure, a rate, speed to close, and clean execution with the lender and title. The right phone script helps you give a clear answer without quoting the wrong thing (rate/APR/points), and it keeps the call moving toward a pre-approval or a loan consult before they shop you to three other lenders.
Standard “How much do you charge?” (Broker comp + typical closing costs)
Use when a new lead asks your fee before you’ve taken an application.
“Good question—mortgage pricing has a few moving parts. My compensation is usually built into the loan pricing and typically lands around 0.50% to 2.75% of the loan amount, depending on the program and lender. On a $400,000 loan, that can look like roughly $2,000 to $11,000, but it’s not always paid out-of-pocket. Separate from that, most buyers also have third‑party closing costs like appraisal, title, escrow, and lender fees—often $6,000 to $15,000 depending on state and loan type. If you tell me purchase price, down payment, credit range, and ZIP code, I can give you a tight estimate in 5 minutes.”
Tips for this scenario
- -Say “third‑party costs” out loud so they understand you don’t control title/escrow/appraisal pricing.
- -Anchor with an example loan size ($350k–$500k) because clients think in monthly payment, not basis points.
- -Ask for ZIP code early—title/escrow and transfer taxes can swing costs a lot by county.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
!Quoting a rate without asking credit score range, down payment/LTV, occupancy, and loan type—then getting blamed when the real quote differs.
!Mixing up “closing costs” and “cash-to-close,” so the client panics when prepaids and escrow setup show up later.
!Failing to ask about points vs lender credits—so shoppers compare your zero-point rate to someone else’s rate with points.
!Giving an exact number before discussing lock period and timing (30 vs 45 days, rate lock expiring, under contract), which creates trust issues later.
!Not asking for the other lender’s Loan Estimate—so you end up competing against a mystery quote that may include temporary credits or unrealistic assumptions.
