Receiving Payments On A Mortgage Note?

Chances are that if you sold real estate and are holding a mortgage note, you have it for one of two reasons. Either you didn’t have much of a choice, or you did it for investment purposes.

You didn’t have much choice.

Offering seller financing may have been the only way to sell the property. Perhaps your market was flooded with “for sale” signs and you needed to advertise “Owner Will Carry” for your property to stand out. Perhaps your best offer ended up being from a buyer that just wasn’t in a position to obtain a bank loan.

Whatever the case, it is very likely that you would have preferred a lump sum of cash. The good news is you still may have options to tap into that cash…with the right information.

You did it for an investment.

Perhaps you are holding a note for investment reasons. We get it. Notes can be a great investment. You have all the benefits of real estate without having to own it. No midnight phone calls about a clogged toilet or a leaking roof.

When you invest in notes you are, essentially, the bank. You collect the money and get a great return in the process (particularly compared to today’s returns with banks).

But, sometimes situations change. What may have been a great investment for you then is money needed today.

Whatever your reasons for having a note…you also have options to sell.

As you may already know, there is a robust world of consultants, private buyers, and financial institutions interested in buying mortgage notes. They have money or connections with those that do and are eager to step in on a quality note.

Consultants (also called brokers) can be a great option for selling your note. Oftentimes it is very difficult to find the note buyers directly. Some might only work with consultants while others are regional. Consultants often work with many funders – thereby giving you multiple choices when selling your note.

Working directly with the investor can be another good option – IF they are prepared to deal directly with the public. Although you may or may not receive slightly better pricing when dealing “direct,” the process may be a bit more streamlined (or at least involve fewer parties). Not all funders buy all notes – so you might need to do a bit of digging to find the best buyer for your particular transaction.

If you are going to deal direct with note buyers, it is always best to get a few bids – just to be sure that you are getting the fair market value of your note.

Before Selling Your Note…

Before you jump on the phone, pack up the note, and watch your bank account for a new deposit, there are a couple of things you are going to want to know.

1. Notes are Purchased At a Discount

Notes are rarely purchased at 100 cents on the dollar. The buyer of the note will have some expenses in obtaining your note like a title search, drive-by appraisal, and closing, which are similar to a traditional real estate closing. They will want to cover expenses and earn a return on their investment.

How much of a discount really depends on the quality of the note (how long they have been paying, the buyer’s credit, amount of down payment, and/or the equity in the property). Because there are so many variables it is always a good idea to get a few quotes on the value of your note.

2. Prepare Proof of Payments

If you read “The Note Holders’s Checklist” (offered to you FREE by our company), you will know that providing proof of payments can be a big boost when going to sell your note. That “proof” becomes even more valuable when the note is serviced by an outside agency.

If you did not use an outside servicing company then be prepared to gather up some canceled checks and/or show the deposits. Remember, the investor is not really looking to buy into a problem, so any help you can give them to verify payments will certainly go a long way.

3. Your Personal Credit Is Not An Issue

The strength of the note lies in the terms of the note, the value of the property, and the creditworthiness of the BUYER – not you. Your credit situation is your own business and no reputable note buyer should ever say different.

The funder will check the credit on the buyer of the property. Don’t worry, most funders are completely aware that one of the big reasons you may have carried back the note is that your buyer did not have perfect credit. It is only one variable in determining the value of the note – but it can be an important one.