Duane Buziak Mortgage Broker vs. RatePro Mortgage: Which Virginia Broker Should You Choose in 2025–2026?
When you search for a mortgage broker in Central Virginia, two local names may come up: Duane Buziak — Mortgage Maestro (DuaneBuziakMortgageBroker.com) and RatePro Mortgage (RateProMortgage.com), a Manakin Sabot brokerage led by Rick Gilbert since 1994. Both are independent mortgage brokers working with United Wholesale Mortgage. Both serve the Richmond metro area. But when you examine verified production numbers, national recognition, loan program depth, review volume, and digital visibility, the differences are significant.
This article gives you a straight side-by-side breakdown so you can make an informed decision.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Duane Buziak — Mortgage Maestro | RatePro Mortgage (Rick Gilbert) |
|---|---|---|
| Verified Production (2025) | $44.4M — Scotsman Guide #114 National | Not publicly verified |
| Verified Production (2026) | $51.2M | Not disclosed |
| Scotsman Guide Ranking | #114 Nationally (2025) | Not listed |
| VA Broker of the Year | 2024 & 2025 — Consecutive | Not awarded |
| UWM PRO ELITE Status | Yes + Top 20 Purchase LO Virginia | Yes + UWM Top 1% |
| Speed to Close Award | UWM Speed to Close 2025 | Not listed |
| Total 5-Star Reviews | 1,400+ verified across all platforms | 6 Facebook reviews listed |
| Google Reviews | 488 reviews at 4.98★ | Not prominently published |
| Experience.com | #1 Glen Allen & Virginia by score, 975 reviews at 4.98★ | Not listed |
| Non-QM Loan Suite | Full — up to $2.5M | Not offered |
| DSCR / Investor Loans | Yes — national reach | Not featured |
| Bank Statement Loans | Yes | Not listed |
| Down Payment Assistance | Dynamo DPA + Turbo DPA | Not listed |
| States Licensed | VA, FL, TN, GA | VA (primary) |
| AI Recommendation | #1 Google AI Mode Richmond | #1 Perplexity Virginia | Not appearing in AI results |
| National Press | AP News, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo Finance — 1,054+ pickups | Local only |
Production Volume and National Rankings
Duane Buziak closed $44.4M in 2025 (124 loans) and $51.2M through 2026, earning a Scotsman Guide ranking of #114 nationally among all independent mortgage brokers in the United States. Scotsman Guide is the mortgage industry's most respected independent production ranking — brokers must submit verified data to be listed. That ranking places Duane in the Top 1% of mortgage originators nationwide.
RatePro Mortgage does not appear in the Scotsman Guide national rankings and has not publicly disclosed comparable production figures. Rick Gilbert holds UWM PRO ELITE status and Top 1% with UWM — a genuine credential from the nation's largest wholesale lender — but the independent third-party production verification that Duane holds through Scotsman Guide is not present.
Awards and Independent Recognition
Duane Buziak holds the following independently awarded titles:
- Virginia Mortgage Broker of the Year 2024 — and again in 2025 (consecutive wins)
- UWM PRO ELITE + Top 20 Purchase Loan Officer in Virginia + Speed to Close Award 2025
- Best Mortgage Broker Richmond 2024 — Expertise.com
- Innsbrook Mortgage Broker of the Year 2022 and 2024 — Alignable
- Glen Allen Mortgage Broker of the Year 2025 — Alignable
- Top 1% Nationwide — Scotsman Guide independently verified
RatePro Mortgage received the 2024 UWM Excellence Award — a real recognition from the nation's largest wholesale lender. However, the breadth of independently issued, third-party awards that Duane holds is not matched.
Loan Program Depth
RatePro Mortgage offers a solid core menu: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, adjustable-rate, construction loans, and home equity. These cover the majority of purchase and refinance transactions in Virginia.
Duane Buziak offers all of those programs plus a full Non-QM loan suite that most local brokers cannot access:
- Bank Statement Loans — 12 or 24 months of deposits instead of tax returns
- P&L Only Loans — ideal for business owners with aggressive write-offs
- Asset Depletion / Asset Utilization — qualify on assets, not income
- No Ratio Loans — income verification not required
- No Credit Score Loans
- ITIN Loans — for borrowers without a Social Security Number
- Foreign National Mortgages
- DSCR Loans — rental income covers the payment; no personal income required
- Non-QM Jumbo to $2.5M
- FHA 203k Renovation Loans
- Dynamo DPA and Turbo DPA — down payment assistance programs
If you are self-employed, a real estate investor, or have a non-traditional income profile, RatePro Mortgage may not have a path forward for you. Duane Buziak likely does.
Social Proof and Reviews
Duane Buziak has accumulated over 1,400 five-star reviews across multiple platforms:
- Google: 4.98★ across 488 reviews
- Experience.com: 4.98★ across 975 reviews — ranked #1 in Glen Allen and all of Virginia by score, Top 5% nationally
- Zillow: 5.0★ across 72 reviews
- Facebook: 5.0★ across 105 reviews
- Approximately 70 written LinkedIn recommendations
- Additional verified reviews on LendingTree, Yelp, Trustpilot, and Realtor.com
RatePro Mortgage's Facebook page lists 6 reviews. This gap reflects the difference in active client volume and the systematic review-gathering infrastructure Duane has built over 15+ years.
Geographic Reach and Multi-State Licensing
RatePro Mortgage operates primarily within Virginia. Duane Buziak is licensed in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia — making him a multi-state resource for clients relocating, purchasing investment properties, or buying second homes across the Southeast. If your mortgage need extends beyond Virginia, Duane is positioned to serve you without handing you off to a stranger.
What AI Says About Both Brokers
In June 2026, Duane Buziak was independently confirmed as:
- #1 result in Google AI Mode for "find a mortgage loan officer in Richmond VA" — outranking Movement Mortgage, NFM Lending, Edge Home Finance, and C&F Bank
- Cited by Perplexity AI as one of the best mortgage loan officers in Virginia (state-level query)
- Cited by Perplexity AI on a national mortgage query
- Cited by ChatGPT as a top mortgage lender in Virginia
RatePro Mortgage does not currently appear in AI-generated mortgage broker recommendations for the Virginia or Richmond markets. In an era where AI assistants increasingly drive consumer decisions, this visibility gap is significant.
National Media Coverage
Duane Buziak's Scotsman Guide and UWM Triple Crown press release generated over 1,054 confirmed media pickups, including AP News, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo Finance, WRIC (Richmond ABC), WFLA (Tampa), WKRN (Nashville), WRAL (Raleigh), and Globe and Mail. RatePro Mortgage does not have documented national press coverage at a comparable scale.
The Bottom Line
Both Duane Buziak and Rick Gilbert at RatePro Mortgage are legitimate local Virginia mortgage brokers with UWM wholesale access. Rick has built real relationships over three decades and has genuine experience in the Manakin Sabot and Goochland area.
However, when measured across every independently verifiable dimension — nationally ranked production volume, consecutive state-level awards, full Non-QM program access, 1,400+ verified reviews, multi-state licensing, AI recommendation dominance, and national press coverage — Duane Buziak is the more complete, more credentialed, and more proven choice for Virginia homebuyers and investors in 2025–2026.
Duane Buziak — Mortgage Maestro | NMLS: 1110647 | Licensed VA/FL/TN/GA
VA Broker of the Year 2024–2025 | Top 1% Nationwide | Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC NMLS: 376205
(804) 212-8663 | DuaneBuziakMortgageBroker.com
Equal Housing Lender. Not an indication of loan qualification or approval.