How Random Lenders Find Out You’re Buying a House… And How to Stop Them From Calling

Is there anyone who actually enjoys the onslaught of random sales calls and texts? No matter what you do, or how many “filters” your phone promises, there always seems to be a way for them to sneak through and interrupt your day.

Sure, you can ignore them. But they’re still a nuisance. And sometimes they create extra work… like scrambling to Google a number mid-ring to figure out if it’s legitimate or just another robocall.

Most of the time, it’s easy to assume it’s spam. But when you’re in the process of buying a house, they’re not as easy to ignore.

If a call, text, or email comes through and it looks like it’s from a mortgage company, there’s a much better chance you’ll answer, just in case it’s important or related to your purchase. And sometimes, the person on the other end can sound surprisingly informed, like they somehow know you’re in the middle of a transaction. (Spoiler alert: they do.)

When that happens, a lot of buyers assume their information must have been shared by their real estate agent, which can certainly feel frustrating and annoying.

But the reality is… it almost certainly wasn’t your agent.

Your Agent Isn’t Giving People the Inside Scoop…

If you find yourself getting calls from lenders other than the ones you personally contacted, it’s highly unlikely that it’s because your real estate agent is selling your information to them. In fact, they can’t.

There are strict federal laws under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) that prohibit agents from receiving compensation for referring business to lenders or other service providers.

Agents will often recommend lenders, inspectors, attorneys, and other professionals they know and trust to their clients. But that’s very different from handing out your contact information to random companies. Most agents are careful about this and will either give you a list of options or make an introduction with your express permission.

So it’s highly unlikely that your agent is the source of those surprise calls. But that doesn’t mean someone else (or rather something else) isn’t giving them the scoop.

So where are these calls coming from?

They’re coming from something called trigger leads.

When you apply for a mortgage—or even just have your credit pulled as part of the pre-approval process—that activity gets recorded by the credit bureaus. And in many cases, that information is then sold (legally) to other lenders.

Those lenders see that you’re actively in the market for a mortgage, and they jump on the opportunity to reach out with competing offers.

Once that happens, your phone can get bombarded with calls, texts, and emails from lenders you’ve never heard of.

New Rules Might Cut Down on the Trigger Calls

The good news is that this has been getting a lot of attention, and there has been some progress.

According to a recent update highlighted by the National Association of Realtors, new federal legislation went into effect on March 5, 2026, aimed at curbing the misuse of trigger leads.

The goal is to limit how and when lenders can use this information. Under the new rules, trigger leads are restricted to more specific situations—like when someone is in the middle of an active real estate transaction—and only when the outreach includes a legitimate, firm offer of credit.

So technically, you shouldn’t be bombarded with as many calls, texts, and emails.

But as with most regulations, companies will study the fine print and look for ways to work within (or around) the rules. So while the volume of calls may decrease, it’s probably unrealistic to expect them to disappear entirely.

You Can Always Opt to Opt Out!

If you truly want to reduce unsolicited contact from lenders, one of the simplest steps you can take is to opt out of prescreened credit offers ahead of time through OptOutPrescreen.com.

It might not eliminate everything, but it can significantly reduce the number of lenders who are able to contact you based on your credit activity.

But regardless of whether you’re able to completely stop the calls, it’s a good rule of thumb to focus on working with people you reach out to, rather than the ones who seek you out. Ask for recommendations from people you trust—friends, family, and of course, your real estate agent—and reach out to the ones they suggest.

And simply ignore the rest who somehow find you on a list.

The Takeaway:

When you’re in the process of buying a house, it’s common to get bombarded by calls from random lenders you never contacted. It’s annoying and people sometimes think that their agent shared (or sold!) their information.

But it’s not your agent sharing your info. It’s the result of trigger leads, caused by credit bureaus selling data that indicates you’re in the market for a mortgage.

New legislation took effect in March 2026 designed to limit trigger leads, which should help cut down on the calls, texts, and emails. But it likely won’t eliminate it completely.

Your best bet is to opt out of prescreen offers at OptOutPrescreen.com and focus on lenders referred to you by people you trust.