# Lender Search

> Build lender search workflows on Lev with directory search, lender detail, program data, and placement handoff patterns.

Source: https://www.lev.com/docs/build/lender-search

Last updated: June 2026

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## Overview

Lev's lender search experience combines market intelligence, lender profiles, and deal workflow data. The API entry point is the [Lender Directory](/build/lender-directory), which lets you search global lender records, inspect lender profiles, and retrieve active lending programs.

Use this guide when you want to:

- Build a searchable lender picker inside an internal CRM or deal portal
- Pre-qualify lenders by market, lender type, lending program, or known fit
- Turn lender matches into tracked [placements](/build/placements) on a deal
- Give an AI assistant or workflow engine enough structured context to recommend next actions

## Search Flow

A typical lender search workflow uses three steps:

1. Query `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/directory` with a lender name, state filter, pagination, and fields selection.
2. Fetch `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/{org_id}` for the profiles you want to inspect in more detail.
3. Fetch `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/{org_id}/programs` when the workflow needs loan programs, capital source, size range, or sponsor-state fit.

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.lev.com/api/external/v2/lenders/directory?name=JPMorgan&limit=10" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
```

For deal-specific workflows, pair lender search with the deal's asset type, geography, requested loan amount, and existing lender list before showing recommendations to the user.

## API Surfaces

| Surface | Endpoint | Use it for |
|---------|----------|------------|
| Directory search | `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/directory` | Find lenders by name, state, page size, and field selection |
| Lender detail | `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/{org_id}` | Inspect a lender profile, aliases, domains, and embedded programs |
| Lending programs | `GET /api/external/v2/lenders/{org_id}/programs` | Compare program fit by loan type, size range, recourse, capital source, and geography |
| Placements | `GET /api/external/v2/deals/{deal_id}/placements` and related placement write routes | Track which matched lenders were added to a deal and how they responded |

The directory is global rather than account-scoped. Placement records are deal-scoped and represent the lenders your team is actively pursuing on a transaction.

## Placement Handoff

After you identify the right lenders, use the [Placements API](/build/placements) to keep the search connected to pipeline execution. This lets your workflow preserve lender status, outreach state, notes, and downstream quote collection instead of treating search as a disconnected lookup.

For user-facing flows, show enough context before creating a placement:

- Lender name, location, lender type, and category
- Relevant programs and minimum or maximum loan amounts
- Why the lender appears to match the deal
- Whether the lender is already on the deal

## Next Steps

- Read the full [Lender Directory reference](/build/lender-directory) for request parameters and response objects.
- Use [Placements](/build/placements) to add matched lenders to a deal workflow.
- Use [Term Sheets](/build/term-sheets) to capture quotes once lenders respond.
- See [Add Lenders to a Deal](/learn/deals/adding-lenders-to-a-deal) for the product workflow that this API flow supports.