A junk lead is classified as a lead that is old or recycled by many loan officers and many lead companies. It may come cheap, but chances are, it won't be worth the two dollars you spent on it.

A real time lead is a lead that is considered fresh. Meaning, you will receive it on the same day the applicant fills out the on-line form. If the lead is any older than a day, it can hardly be considered real time.

When researching mortgage lead companies, be sure to find out where the mortgage lead company is obtaining their leads from.

If they obtain them from web sites they own and operate themselves, where they are directing potential clients to fill out on-line forms, you can safely assume that you will be receiving fresh, real time leads.

If the customer service rep for the mortgage lead company you are considering starts dodging your questions, than you can safely assume that the leads are not fresh.

This is not to say that the lead company does not have good leads to offer, but it would be wise on your part to find out exactly where the leads are coming from to be sure you are getting the best quality leads for your money.

In the end, it all depends on what you are looking for. Quality or quantity.

Quantity will most likely get you hang ups and answers such as " I closed that loan weeks ago," or "I filled out that application months ago." If you are tired of these scenarios, you should definitely consider going with quality mortgage leads, otherwise known as real time mortgage leads, it just might be worth your while. Best of luck.