Short answer: if you close fewer than four deals a month, use software. If you close more, you need real coordination help. That used to mean hiring a human TC. Now an AI transaction coordinator like Lintel does the same work for about 80% less. Here's how to decide.
The three options, compared
| Human TC | Transaction software (dotloop, SkySlope) | AI coordinator (Lintel) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $350–$500/file, or $45k–$65k/yr | $30–$100/user/month | ~$79/file |
| Does the actual work? | Yes | No — you still do it | Yes |
| Reads contracts, enters data | Yes | No | Yes |
| Drafts paperwork and emails | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tracks deadlines | Yes | Reminders only | Yes |
| Hours | Business hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Handle more volume | Hire another | — | Instant |
When to hire a human transaction coordinator
Hire a human TC if you want a person on the phone, or you run unusual and complex deals that need judgment on every file. The cost is real. You pay $350 to $500 per file, or $45,000 to $65,000 a year for an employee. A human TC works business hours and handles about 10 to 20 files a month. In slow months, you still pay them. In busy months, you hire another.
When transaction software isn't enough
Tools like dotloop and SkySlope store your documents and send reminders. They cost $30 to $100 per user a month. That's cheap for a reason: they don't do the work. You still read the contract. You still enter the data. You still draft the emails and chase the signatures. Software is a filing cabinet. It is not a coordinator.
What an AI transaction coordinator does
An AI transaction coordinator does the actual work, like a human TC, but instantly and around the clock. For example, Lintel reads the contract, enters the details into your CRM, builds the deadline calendar, drafts your paperwork and emails, and flags anything missing. You review and approve. It costs about $79 a file instead of $350 to $500.
Cost comparison
Say you close 30 deals a year.
- Human TC at $450 a file: $13,500 a year.
- Lintel at $79 a file: $2,370 a year.
- You save about $11,000.
Now say your team closes 400 deals a year.
- Two or three human TCs: $110,000 to $180,000 a year.
- Lintel: $31,600 a year.
The best setup for most teams
The smartest move usually isn't hire or software. It's both. Keep your coordinator. Add Lintel on top. Lintel does the repetitive work. Your TC handles the judgment calls and the relationships, and approves the work. You get the capacity of a bigger team without a bigger payroll. That is how a team goes from 200 files a year to 600 without hiring.
Hire a TC or use software? FAQ
Under about four deals a month, use software. Over that, use an AI transaction coordinator like Lintel, or hire a human TC if you want a person on every file.