Matador Lending joins GoRascal in flat-fee broker merger
What's the deal? Matador LendingDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has merged with GoRascal Inc.Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, combining two independent mortgage brokerages built around flat-fee compensation models. Houston-based Matador keeps its name and operates as a DBA under GoRascal, moving nearly 70 originators onto a platform newly licensed across all 50 states. Financial terms were not disclosed.
What each side gets: The structure gives Matador access to GoRascal's nationwide licensing, technology, recruiting resources, and wholesale relationships without abandoning its Texas brand. For GoRascal, the deal adds an immediate production and recruiting presence in one of the country's largest mortgage markets.
What's the endgame? The combined companies plan to invest in recruiting across Texas, with Matador aiming for $1 billion in annual state production. That target would require roughly a fivefold jump from its run rate of about $200 million.
Matador, founded in 2019, said its team has grown nearly 70% since February 2025. GoRascal supports more than 400 originators nationwide and reported over $3.7 billion in funded volume during 2025, with a stated goal of surpassing $5 billion in 2026. Those figures could not be independently verified.
Why the flat fee matters: Both brokerages independently built models that charge originators a flat fee rather than retaining a percentage of their pay. Matador advertises a structure where originators keep their commission minus a $1,000 administrative fee per closed loan.
That shared approach appears central to the deal. Rather than acquiring a traditional retail branch, GoRascal is adding entrepreneurial originators used to greater independence.
Matador president Apurva Sanghavi said the companies found common ground quickly. "There was a clear synergy the moment we talked about our journeys," he said, adding that GoRascal was "the clear answer to partner with" after vetting multiple suitors.
Scott Valins, GoRascal co-founder and chief executive officer, pointed to culture. "What impressed us most about Apurva and the Matador team wasn't just their production — it was the culture they built," he said.
The signal: The merger reflects consolidation among independent brokerages chasing scale through shared licensing and recruiting muscle. By pairing two flat-fee shops, it also tests whether an originator-friendly compensation model can drive fast production growth in a competitive market.
Read more: National Mortgage Professional
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