Lenders star rating guide

How to Hook the Borrower: Your Complete Guide to Becoming a 5-Star Lender

You just spotted the perfect lead. It fits your lending criteria perfectly, and you are ready to fund it. But you also know you aren't the only one looking at it—other lenders are circling, and you need to grab the borrower's attention immediately.

You have probably heard the golden rule of Lendersa: lenders who rank 5 stars win the deals. As a competitive lender, you are willing to do whatever it takes to secure that top ranking. But you have questions. Why does it matter so much to the borrower? What exactly do you need to do? What if I am on vacation or receive a "junk" text? Here are the complete, detailed answers to your questions, giving you the exact blueprint to master the Lendersa Communication Star System and beat your competition.

The secret is Multiple Option Soft Quotes. Giving a borrower instant multiple soft quote offers is a win-win for both you and the borrower. The borrower gets exactly what they asked for, and you get a reputational surge and a high Star Rating. Here is the complete, detailed blueprint to master the Lendersa Communication Star System and beat your competition.

1. How will a high ranking actually influence the borrower?

When a borrower is staring at a list of hungry lenders, they are looking for a reason to choose one over the other. Your star rating is the ultimate trust signal. The Active Lenders list shows the lender names, star ratings, and the bracketed numbers next to the stars.

When borrowers see 5 stars next to your name, it immediately influences them because it guarantees that you are highly responsive.

• It proves speed: The stars indicate your level of participation and exactly how fast the borrower will hear back from you. Real estate investors hate waiting; 5 stars tell them you move at their speed.
• It is strictly data-driven: Borrowers know the stars are generated by the automated login time of your replies. It is proof of your hustle. (Please note: The rating does not represent an official endorsement of your capacity to arrange the loan by Lendersa) .

You will also notice a number in brackets next to your stars. This equals your Base Number + M#. The Base Number is the historical leads acquired by you as of July 1st, 2026, pulled from our database. The M# (Message Number) tracks the number of messages, soft quotes, or LOIs you send starting on that date. Note: The base line is for visual display only and is not used to calculate your stars; only your active M# is used.

2. How is the Star Rating calculated, and what is the "Buffer"?

Your average is calculated simply by dividing your Total Points Earned by your active total Messages/Quotes sent).

However, there is a secret weapon: while the public rating displayed to the borrower is capped at 5 Stars, the algorithm actually awards up to 7.50 Stars if you send a fast Soft Quote with 3 multiple options!

Earning these bonus points creates a mathematical "buffer." This means that even if you miss a deadline on a future lead, your mathematical average will stay well above 5.0, and the borrower will still see a perfect 5-star rating.

3. Actions and the Scoring Matrix

To earn and keep your 5 stars, you must master Lendersa's internal communication tools. Each time a borrower messages you, you receive an email alert with a link to log into your dashboard and reply. Standard text messages earn you baseline points, but the real rewards come from utilizing the Soft Quote tool.

Understanding the Actions:

1. Quote - Instant Multi (QIM): Submitting a Soft Quote with 2-3 loan options within 3 hours. The ultimate buffer-builder.
2. Quote - Instant Single (QIS): Submitting a Soft Quote with 1 option within 3 hours.
3. Quote - Next Morning Multi (QNM): Submitting 2-3 options between 4 and 16 hours. Perfect for catching up on after-hours leads.
4. Quote - Next Morning Single (QNS): Submitting 1 option between 4 and 16 hours.
5. Quote - On Time Multi (QOM): Submitting 2-3 options between 17 and 36 hours.
6. Quote - On Time Single (QOS): Submitting 1 option between 17 and 36 hours.
7. Quote - Slow Multi (QSM): Submitting 2-3 options after 37 hours.
8. Quote - Slow Single (QSS): Submitting 1 option after 37 hours.
9. Message - Instant (MI): Replying with a standard text message (no quote terms) within 3 hours.
10. Message - Next Morning (MNM): Replying with a standard text message between 4 and 16 hours.
11. Message - On Time (MOT): Replying with a standard text message between 17 and 36 hours.
12. Message - Slow (MS): Replying with a standard text message between 37 and 168 hours. (This will drastically lower your average).
13. Message - No Reply (MNR): Failing to reply after 168 hours. Earns zero points.

(Note: You must log your Soft Quotes and messages through the Lendersa portal to be awarded your stars, even if you call the borrower directly!)

4. Maximizing the Soft Quote Tool

5. How to Create Multiple Options in Under a Minute

You might think building different loan scenarios is time-consuming, but duplicating a quote to create a new one is simple and efficient. Since most of the data is already there, users can generate a copy with one click, make necessary adjustments, and save it in less than a minute. There are unlimited options you can enter, but 2 to 4 options are recommended so you do not overwhelm the borrower.

Example 1: Adjusting Duration and Points To offer a rate and point option for a 2-year loan instead of a 12-month loan, click the duplicate button on the option screen. Change the Loan duration from 12 months to 2 years, change the Rate and the Points, and Deliver the quote to the client.

• 12-Month Loan | 9.85% | 2 points
• 24-Month Loan | 10.50% | 3 points

Example 2: Adjusting LTV and Requirements To give the client an option for a higher loan amount, click the duplicate button, then change the LTV higher. The loan amount will increase automatically. Change the Rate and Points, and you may also need to change the appraisal and document requirements for the higher LTV.

• 60% LTV | 9.85% | 2 points
• 75% LTV | 11.50% | 3.25 points

[Placeholder: Image showing side-by-side comparison of 60% and 75% LTV loan forms highlighting LTV, Loan Amount, Rate, Points, and Appraisal fields in red]

6. "Smart Quotes" & Meaningful Options

Smart Quote operates on a foundation of creative lending. Skilled lenders may structure loans by reducing the loan amount or enhancing a client's profile. Several possible strategies include raising the client’s credit score, finding alternative methods to verify income, adding a co-borrower, or providing additional collateral with equity.

Caution: Read the Loan Purpose Writing meaningful options will establish you as a professional. However, if you write options without reading the borrower loan purpose, you will look like a fool. You need to read the borrower loan purpose to make sure the options are meaningful.

• E.g., if the borrower writes they are in escrow to sell the property and need a bridge loan, do not offer an option with a 12-month prepay penalty, regardless of how low the rate is.
• E.g., if the borrower writes they must have 70% LTV, then do not offer a quote with 65% LTV.
• E.g., if the borrower writes they must close in 10 days, then do not offer a loan that requires an appraisal.

If the borrower does not state his purpose, you should still give him multiple options based on your understanding, but make sure to send a message stating your soft quote can be changed once you better understand their purpose.

7. Frequently Asked Questions & Edge Cases

Can I get a 5-Star rating without providing Soft Quotes? Theoretically, yes. However, it will require you to reply to the borrower with a standard message within 1 to 3 hours every single time. That simply is not practical. The solution is providing Soft Quotes to build your mathematical buffer!

But I am not ready to provide a Soft Quote. What should I do? Do not worry! The Lendersa loan request is comprehensive and designed to cover your upfront questions (often including attached documents). You are not being asked to provide a formal loan approval, nor a binding Letter of Intent (LOI).

To ensure you are protected, every Soft Quote automatically includes the following disclaimer:

"This Soft Quote statement has been prepared for discussion purposes only and is not a commitment to execute a loan or a good faith estimate... Neither party will be bound to anything unless both parties enter into a binding written agreement... It is subject to review during the loan underwriting process."

What if you aren't ready to quote at all? It's reasonable to hold off on quoting if you don't have all the necessary information. If you're not prepared to request a Soft Quote, feel free to use the message box to ask questions or request documents. Utilize the message box to highlight your company and its loan products. If rate competitiveness is not feasible, you may still secure the loan by emphasizing your efficient funding process or straightforward approval criteria.

What are the exact rules for Weekends and After-Hours? Our system accounts for weekends automatically. For messages generated by clients between Thursday and Sunday, the system automatically allocates you more hours to be considered "On Time" to account for the weekend.

How do I handle "junk" messages or the end of a conversation? Regardless of the borrower's reply, you still must answer it to close the communication loop. However, we have made this effortless. Our AI reads the borrower's message, and you can just click the AI-generated "Reply" button to automatically send an acknowledgment. It takes one second! Additionally, a borrower who seems to have dropped the ball will often come back to life a few days later, so staying engaged is crucial.

Is there a "Vacation Mode" if I am out of town or away from my desk? As a lender, you can always rely on your mobile device to fire off quick replies. If you truly cannot log in, simply take the temporary low score. If you have been consistently providing Soft Quotes, your mathematical buffer will protect your public rating, and the missed messages will not severely damage you.