CalHFA Homeownership Leads Program

The California Housing Finance Agency receives hundreds of phone calls and web hits every month, and in the past has directed callers and web visitors to branch offices of CalHFA Approved Lenders. In order to better serve potential first-time homebuyers, CalHFA has implemented the CalHFA Homeownership Leads Program to direct callers to qualified CalHFA Loan Officers, instead of just a branch office with no names attached.

Every call is routed to our Customer Relations Center. The CalHFA Customer Relations Representatives ascertain the caller's qualifications for a CalHFA loan, record the caller's contact information, and pass that information to a Loan Officer for follow up via the Loan Officer Communication procedures. Leads are distributed evenly to Loan Officers on a rotational basis.

The Customer Relations Center handles all requests for information about the actual leads, as well as any complaints or questions. If you have any further questions about the Leads Program that are not answered below, please email Bonnie McKee-Flores, CalHFA’s Homeownership Leads Program Administrator.

Thank you for your continued support of CalHFA and California's first-time homebuyers!

CalHFA will initiate an invitation to a Loan Officer when CalHFA has purchased at least three first mortgage loans from a particular Loan Officer within a six-month period. There are no applications. We review our records quarterly (March, June, September and December) for the previous six months to find Loan Officers who meet the criteria of a Preferred Loan Officer.

ELIGIBILITY

There are two criteria that qualify a Loan Officer as a CalHFA Preferred Loan Officer (PLO).

  1. The Loan Officer must retail or wholesale loans through a CalHFA Approved Lender.
  2. CalHFA must have purchased at least three first mortgage loans originated by the Loan Officer within the preceding six-month period.

CalHFA will review all Loan Officers’ performance on a quarterly basis. Eligible Loan Officers will be contacted and invited to participate in the Leads Program via email.

At CalHFA’s discretion, the number of loans to qualify and other criteria may be changed to better serve Loan Officers and first-time homebuyers.

Please note: CalHFA is modifying the current Approved Loan Officer listing on our web site to display contact information for PLOs only.  CalHFA determines eligibility to the Leads Program by the originating Loan Officer information inputted into the Lender Access System (LAS). Therefore, it is important that the Lender’s staff accurately and consistently input only the originating Loan Officer’s information into LAS for each loan reserved.  This will ensure that Loan Officers receive timely program updates and that their contact information is listed correctly in the Leads Program database and on the web site.

LOAN OFFICER COMMUNICATION

  • Fax - Immediately after a caller is assigned to a PLO, a Lead Sheet will be faxed to the PLO. This lead contains all the information needed for the PLO to contact the prospective borrower.
  • First Email - Within 24 hours of the fax, PLOs will also receive an email. The purpose of the email is to ensure that the PLO receives the lead. It should also be used to report the outcome of the follow up to the lead. For security purposes, this email will only include the caller’s last name and lead record number. The PLO should respond to this email as soon as possible.
  • Reminder Email – If the PLO has not responded within 48 hours of the first email, a reminder email will be sent. This email will inform the PLO that they have until the end of the business day to respond to the lead. If a response is not received, the PLO may be suspended from receiving leads.
  • 48 Hour Response - All leads must be responded to by EMAIL within 48 business hours. (Forty-eight hours is considered two business days from the date of receipt of the first email.) It is the PLO’s responsibility to inform the Customer Relations Center of non-receipt of the Lead Sheet via phone call or email.
  • 14-Day Follow Up – PLOs must respond to a 14-day follow up email, if contact with the caller was not established in the first 24 hours.  This email is intended to collect additional information on certain leads referred to a PLO.
  • 30-Day Follow Up – All PLOs must respond to a 30-day follow up email. This email will be sent 30-days after a lead has been sent. The 30-day follow up email is intended to collect additional information on each lead referred to a PLO.

A PLO must provide feedback as to the follow up action taken and the current status of the lead. Once contact has been made with the caller referred to in the lead, the PLO must reply to the first email notifying him/her of the lead. The email contains a list of possible responses. In the reply, the PLO should indicate the responses that best apply to this particular lead, and add any comments as needed to clarify the outcome of the contact.

To ensure the best possible service for potential first-time homebuyers interested in CalHFA home loan programs and products, PLOs who do not follow up on their assigned leads will be removed from the Leads Program and will no longer be listed as a PLO.

TEMPORARY SUSPENSION REQUEST OR TERMINATION

  • If a PLO is temporarily unable to receive leads in accordance to these requirements for any reasons, it is the responsibility of the PLO to contact the Customer Relations Center via email with “Request to be temporarily removed from the Leads Program” in the subject line. Temporary suspensions can be granted reinstatements without additional training upon the request of the PLO. However, it is the PLO’s responsibility to contact the Customer Relations Center to request reinstatement back into the Leads Program.
  • It is the responsibility of the PLO to immediately contact the Customer Relations Center when the PLO’s profile information changes, including address, email address, phone number, etc.
  • The PLO has the right to appeal removal from the Leads Program within 30 days of the dismissal. Reinstatement to the Leads Program will be at the discretion of Leads Program Administrator. The Leads Program Administrator will assess the level of complaint and/or issue in determining any such reinstatement to the Leads Program.
  • Once a PLO is removed from the PLO list for any reason, except for request of temporarily removal stipulated in #1 of this section, completion of CalHFA Lender Training within two months of dismissal is required before reinstatement.
  • The PLO has the right to terminate participation in the Leads Program at any time.
  • If the PLO terminates his/hers participation in the Leads Program, the PLO must immediately contact the Leads Program Administrator, Bonnie McKee-Flores at 916.322.0723 or by email at bmckee-flores@calhfa.ca.gov.

COMPLAINTS

  • The Customer Relations Center will forward all complaints to the Leads Program Administrator.
  • If the caller forwards a complaint, the PLO will be required to respond to and/or provide a proposed resolution to the caller’s concerns to the Leads Program Administrator within five (5) business days from receipt of complaint.
  • The PLO’s response must address any concerns or questions in the caller’s complaint.
  • If the PLO has any questions on how to address the complaint, he/she should contact the Leads Program Administrator as soon as possible.
  • If the caller and the Leads Program Administrator do not receive a response within five (5) business days or additional complaints have been made, the Leads Program Administrator reserves the right to suspend the PLO.
  • Lack of response to the Leads Program Administrator’s attempts to contact the PLO will automatically result in suspension from the Leads Program.

Thank you for your interest in the CalHFA Homeownership Leads Program, and for your continuing interest in serving the first-time homebuyers of California.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Bonnie McKee-Flores, Leads Program Administrator
bmckee-flores@calhfa.ca.gov
916.322.0723

Leads Program Info
calhfaleads@calhfa.ca.gov
877.9.CalHFA (877.922.5432)

 

Homebuyers interested in applying for financing, should contact one of CalHFA's approved lenders.

CalHFA does not lend money directly to consumers. CalHFA works through and uses approved private lenders to qualify consumers and to make all mortgage loans. CalHFA purchases closed loans that meet CalHFA's requirements. The fees consumers pay could be different depending on the lender and the program.