FAQs

Help Your Home Buyer Get an Additional Quote: Buyers always want to compare rates or get a second opinion — agents refer them to us for an extra quote from top-performing brokers or lenders, and still get paid $100 for the referral.

Get All Your Leads Pre-Approved First: Before investing time showing homes, agents use our platform to get every buyer pre-approved through top-performing brokers and lenders.

Get Them Funded: Once pre-approved, buyers are guided through the funding process by lenders who go the extra mile to help get deals closed.

Ghosted by Buyers: When buyers stop responding, agents send us the lead and still earn $100 — no follow-up or chasing needed.

Overflow Leads: Busy agents with more leads than they can handle send the extras to us and get paid without losing focus on their core pipeline.

Buyer Has Financing Issues: When a buyer has credit problems or isn’t yet ready to qualify, agents refer them to us — we route them to lenders who specialize in tough cases, and the agent still gets paid.

Monetize Non-Closing Leads: If a deal falls apart or a buyer walks away, the agent can still earn by passing the lead to us for another shot at funding.

Lead Isn’t a Good Fit: When a lead is outside the agent’s area, price range, or target clientele, they send it to us instead of letting it go to waste — and earn $100 every time.

Out-of-Budget Clients: Buyers who want more than they can afford are routed through our system to lenders who can reset expectations and offer realistic options — while agents get paid.

Non-Closing Leads: Even if the buyer doesn’t purchase, the agent still gets rewarded just for submitting the lead — turning dead ends into new opportunities.

You can see & message which broker or lender the referral was sent to and build a relationship with them. And a new feature coming soon allows you to see the broker or lender the referral is being routed to “before” you submit it.

To Receive Referrals From RE Agents:This solution is for individuals (such as individual brokers or individual loan officers) or entire companies.

Why A GFO Lead Does Not Constitute a Referral

Go Fish Originators (“GFO”) and its participating real estate agents do not engage in referrals as defined under RESPA. Crucially, the consumer (home buyer) never sees, is presented with, or is influenced by any “preferred pool” or ranking of mortgage brokers. Real estate agents do not discuss or disclose broker options with the consumer at all, nor do they endorse or recommend any broker.

Instead, real estate agents perform independent lead generation activities and submit consumer inquiry data to GFO as part of a bona fide marketing arrangement. GFO, in turn, distributes those leads to contracted mortgage brokers through a neutral algorithm that includes the brokers based solely on their pre-set preferences and objective eligibility filters. At no point do real estate agents control the broker selection process. This structure ensures that no referral, steering, or unlawful exchange of value occurs, as defined under RESPA Section 8(a).

Conditions Supporting Non-Referral Characterization

To ensure that lead distribution through GFO does not constitute a “referral” under RESPA, the following structural and operational safeguards are in place:

• No Consumer-Facing Broker Communication by Agents:Participating real estate agents do not communicate with consumers regarding any mortgage broker options. They provide no recommendations, suggestions, comparisons, or disclosures—whether express or implied—that could influence the consumer’s broker selection. This ensures the absence of both active and passive steering.
• No Agent Control Over Final Broker Assignment: While agents may designate a “Preferred Pool” of mortgage brokers within the internal platform interface, such designation is advisory only and does not control or determine which broker ultimately receives the lead. Agents do not directly assign or route leads to any specific broker.
• Platform-Controlled, Neutral Algorithmic Distribution: Lead distribution is conducted exclusively through GFO’s automated algorithm, which relies on objective, pre-set criteria such as broker geographic coverage, product compatibility, and availability. Agents have no ability to override, adjust, or influence lead routing after submission. Broker selection occurs independently of agent input at the point of lead transfer.
• No Broker Lists Presented to Consumers: At no time is the consumer presented with a list of mortgage brokers to choose from. The consumer is not shown any curated broker options, rankings, or profiles that could create the appearance of a recommendation or induce a selection. This structure eliminates any consumer-facing influence that could give rise to a referral characterization.
• Non-Contingent Agent Compensation: Agent compensation is flat, formulaic, and based solely on marketing services actually performed. Payment is not conditioned on which broker receives the lead, whether the loan closes, or any consumer outcome. This compensation structure ensures compliance with RESPA Section 8(c)(2), which allows bona fide payments for services rendered and precludes any unlawful benefit tied to referral activity.

Together, these safeguards demonstrate that GFO’s platform is structured to avoid the hallmarks of a referral under RESPA, as defined by 24 C.F.R. § 3500.14(g), and instead functions as a compliant, non-directional marketing lead service.

How GFO Is Legally Compliant With This Provision

Section 8(c)(2) provides a safe harbor for payments made in exchange for bona fide marketing services actually performed.

Here is the exact legal wording:

(c) Exceptions / Allowed Payments

"Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting ...(2) the payment to any person of a bona fide salary or compensation or other payment for goods or facilities actually furnished or for services actually performed."

GFO’s compensation structure fully complies with this exception: the marketing service provided by participating real estate agents is lead generation, a recognized and legitimate form of marketing. Also, importantly, no funds ever flow directly or indirectly from mortgage brokers to real estate agents. This independent and non-transactional payment structure eliminates any risk of being classified as a kickback or unlawful referral fee under RESPA.