Brokers experience submission as a black box, which makes every delay feel identical. It is not — the stages fail differently, and the stage a file is stuck at tells you what to do about it.
| Stage | Typically | A delay here means |
|---|---|---|
| Completeness check | Minutes to hours | Something is missing from your file |
| Automated bank screening | Fast | Rarely a delay; it either passes or flags |
| Underwriter review | Hours to a day | A real question about the file |
| Pricing and offer | Same day | Usually queue depth, not the file |
| Counter or decline | Same day | They are deciding whether to write it at all |
Most delays are the first row
A file waiting on a missing page, an illegible statement or an unanswered ownership question is not being underwritten — it is sitting in a queue with a flag on it. Asking which specific thing is outstanding, rather than asking for an update, resolves most of these in one message.
What to tell the merchant meanwhile
- Something specific and true. "It is with the underwriter, I expect a decision today" beats silence.
- A named time you will next update them, even if the update is that there is no news.
- Any stip you can collect now, so the gap between offer and funding is already closed.
- Never a predicted number. An offer that lands under what you guessed costs you the close.
The silence is what loses these deals. A merchant hearing nothing for two days assumes it has gone wrong and answers the next broker who calls.
Questions brokers ask
How long does MCA underwriting take?
Usually same day or next day for an offer on a clean, complete file. Longer than that is most often a missing document rather than a difficult underwriting decision.
What are the stages after submission?
A completeness check, automated screening on the bank data, an underwriter reading and pricing the file, then an offer, counter or decline.
What does a delay usually mean?
Most often that something is missing or illegible and the file is flagged rather than being reviewed. Asking what specifically is outstanding resolves most delays in one message.
What should you tell the merchant while you wait?
Something specific and true, plus a named time for the next update even if the update is that there is no news. Silence for two days is how these deals are lost to whoever calls next.
Should you predict the offer for the merchant?
No. An offer landing below a number you guessed at costs you the close at the exact moment they were deciding, and you gain nothing by having said it.
Alex Makowski
Founder, Infinite Bookings
Runs the lead generation operation behind Infinite Bookings — paid traffic, the funding application, and the delivery pipeline that puts records into brokers’ CRMs.
Reachable directly at alex@infinitebookings.com or 732-609-7182.