A Scalable, Fintech-Enabled Model for Modern Mortgage Lending

Reinventing Mortgage Origination Through Technology

Get a Rate is an Inc. 5000 company that grew revenue from $4.5 million in 2017 to $16.3 million in 2020, with EBITDA growing at a compound annual rate of 69.4%. The company had proven its ability to scale in a traditional mortgage market, but its next phase of growth required a fundamentally different approach.

The company was developing a proprietary mortgage point-of-sale (POS) system designed to capture borrowers earlier in the home search process, combined with an innovative "Hybrid Agent" model that enabled real estate agents to earn mortgage commissions alongside their traditional real estate fees. This dual innovation had the potential to disrupt how mortgages are originated in the United States.

Get a Rate engaged Avvale to develop a comprehensive business plan and pitch deck that would communicate this fintech transformation to growth equity investors, demonstrating that the company was transitioning from a successful mortgage brokerage into a technology-enabled lending platform.

From Mortgage Broker to Fintech Platform

Avvale developed a comprehensive business plan for Get a Rate that positioned the company's technology investments as the catalyst for its next phase of exponential growth.

Market Opportunity: We mapped the shifting dynamics of the mortgage origination market, demonstrating how the pre-approval process was changing and how real estate agents were becoming key referral partners in mortgage transactions. As platforms like Compass squeezed traditional agent commissions, the Hybrid Agent model presented a compelling income diversification opportunity for agents, creating a natural distribution network for Get a Rate.

Technology Strategy: The business plan detailed Get a Rate's proprietary POS system, showing how it streamlined the borrower experience from pre-approval through closing. We articulated how the technology would reduce customer acquisition costs, improve conversion rates, and create a defensible competitive moat through data and workflow advantages.

Financial Performance & Projections: Anchored in audited financials showing revenue growth from $4.5M to $16.3M over three years, we built forward projections that demonstrated how the technology platform and Hybrid Agent model would accelerate growth while improving margins. The financial model showed clear operating leverage as the platform scaled.

A Growth-Stage Investment Thesis

Avvale delivered a comprehensive business plan that repositioned Get a Rate from a high-growth mortgage brokerage into a technology-enabled lending platform. The document provided a complete investment thesis: proven financial performance, a clear technology differentiation strategy, and a scalable business model built on the Hybrid Agent network.

The business plan gave Get a Rate a professional foundation for engaging growth equity investors and strategic partners who could support the company's transition from traditional mortgage origination to fintech-enabled lending at scale.

The Bigger Picture

Why This Matters: The US mortgage origination market is being reshaped by technology, with digital-first lenders capturing an increasing share of originations. Companies that can combine proven lending track records with proprietary technology platforms are positioned to capture significant market share as borrower expectations shift toward digital, seamless mortgage experiences.