Walker & Dunlop Acquires TapCap

Walker & Dunlop has continued its strong acquisition pace.

With the announcement that it will buy TapCap, it is continuing to build its expertise through acquisitions.

TapCap has a proprietary web-based software that provides real-time, online quotes for commercial real estate debt to streamline the loan application and origination process.

Walker & Dunlop says TapCap’s technology removes friction from the borrower experience and will help accelerate growth across its lending businesses.

Alison Williams, Small Balance Lending Chief Production Officer at Walker & Dunlop, says the company has been investing heavily in loan origination talent to scale its small loan originations to $5 billion by 2025. “But penetrating the small balance lending market requires cutting-edge technology to reduce costs while providing an exceptional customer experience,” she said in a prepared statement, and added that “TapCap’s technology will make our lending processes more transparent, efficient, and scalable—and accelerate our growth towards $5 billion.”

Zac Rosenberg, founder and CEO of TapCap, will join Walker & Dunlop as a leader in their technology group. 

“The acquisition of Enodo in 2019 and our joint venture with Geophy have driven Walker & Dunlop’s AI and machine learning capabilities to new levels, resulting in dramatic growth in new customers and the launch of our multifamily appraisal joint venture, Apprise,” said Walker & Dunlop Aaron Perlis, Chief Technology Officer in a prepared statement. “TapCap is all about efficiency, and how to remove friction from the borrower experience while reducing underwriting and closing costs on loans. We are thrilled to have Zac bring his technology platform to W&D.” 

Last year Walker & Dunlop and GeoPhy, a CRE valuation company, launched Apprise to modernize the antiquated appraisal process through artificial intelligence. In April, it expanded to the West Coast with the hiring of Jacinto Munoz, managing director and head of strategy and compliance, according to Walker & Dunlop and GeoPhy. The addition of Munoz effectively completes Apprise’s executive leadership team and its national footprint. 

Walker & Dunlop hasn’t just focused on tech firms. In May, it acquired a controlling interest in Zelman & Associates, a housing research and investment banking firm in the US.

Zelman covers macro, sector and company-specific trends across all areas of housing, including homebuilding, building products, demographics, multifamily, single-family rentals, mortgage finance and real estate technology and services.  Zelman’s investment bank, led by Tony McGill, focused exclusively on the housing sector.

In the announcement of the purchase, Walker & Dunlop says Zelman’s research is “differentiated by its tenured housing experience, proprietary surveys anchored by an unparalleled network of executive-level leaders and an acute ability to identify and synthesize developing investment and fundamental themes.”