Mortgage note guides
Everything a note holder needs to make a confident, informed decision — written in plain English, grounded in how notes are actually valued and sold.
- Note Types
Balloon Payment Notes: How They Work and How to Sell Them
A balloon note has a large lump sum due at the end. Learn how balloons work, why they cut both ways for value, the consumer-loan rules that restrict them, and how to sell a note with a balloon.
- Note Types
Contract for Deed vs Mortgage Note: Key Differences
Contract for deed (land contract) versus a true mortgage note — how each transfers title, the legal differences, the risks for buyers and sellers, and what each means when you go to sell.
- Seller Financing
Dodd-Frank and Owner Financing: What Sellers Should Know
How the Dodd-Frank Act and the SAFE Act affect owner financing on residential homes — the ability-to-repay rule, balloon limits, the seller-financing exclusions, and why it changes a note's value.
- Selling
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Mortgage Note?
A realistic timeline for selling a private mortgage note — from quote to funding — plus the stages that take time, what speeds them up, and what commonly causes delays.
- Valuation
How Note Buyers Calculate Your Offer
A behind-the-curtain look at exactly how a note buyer turns your loan into a dollar offer — the present-value math, the yield they target, and the risk adjustments that move the final number.
- Selling
How to Avoid Note-Selling Scams
Red flags to watch for when selling a mortgage note — bait-and-switch offers, broker markups, upfront fees, and pressure tactics — plus a checklist for vetting a legitimate, direct note buyer.
- Seller Financing
How to Create a Sellable Owner-Finance Note
If you're about to seller-finance a property, structure the note so it's worth top dollar later. A complete checklist — rate, down payment, term, documentation, servicing, and compliance — for creating note buyers want.
- Selling
How to Sell a Mortgage Note: A Step-by-Step Guide
A complete, plain-English walkthrough of selling a private mortgage note — from gathering documents to closing and getting paid — plus how to avoid common mistakes.
- Selling
How to Sell an Inherited Mortgage Note
Inherited a mortgage note from a parent or relative? Here's how to take ownership, gather the right documents, understand the step-up in basis, and sell the note for cash without becoming a long-distance lender.
- Selling
How to Sell an Owner-Financed Note
If you sold a property and financed the buyer yourself, you hold an owner-financed note you can sell for cash. Here's exactly how owner-finance notes are valued, what makes them sellable, and how the process works.
- Valuation
ITV and LTV in Note Buying Explained
Two ratios drive how risky your note looks to a buyer: loan-to-value (LTV) and investment-to-value (ITV). Learn what each measures, how they differ, why they matter to your price, and how to improve them.
- Note Types
Performing vs Non-Performing Notes Explained
The difference between performing and non-performing mortgage notes, how each is valued, and what it means for you as a seller — whether your borrower is current or in default.
- Seller Financing
Seller Financing Explained
What seller financing is, how it works for buyers and sellers, the documents involved, the pros and cons, and how the note you create can later be sold for cash. A plain-English primer.
- Selling
Selling a Note in a Divorce Settlement
When a mortgage note is a marital asset, selling it can be the cleanest way to divide value in a divorce. Learn how notes are split, how a lump-sum sale simplifies settlement, and what to gather before you sell.
- Note Types
Selling a Note in Default: Your Options
Your borrower stopped paying — but your note isn't worthless. Learn how non-performing notes are valued, why a default doesn't end the sale, and how to get a clean exit when foreclosure isn't something you want to handle.
- Selling
Selling a Partial vs Full Note: Which Is Right for You?
You don't have to sell your whole note. Learn how a partial purchase works, how it compares to a full sale, the pros and cons of each, and how to decide based on how much cash you actually need.
- Selling
Tax Implications of Selling a Mortgage Note
An educational overview of the tax considerations when you sell a private mortgage note — installment sales, capital gains, the discount you sell at, and why a CPA conversation matters before you close.
- Valuation
Understanding Note Seasoning and Value
What 'seasoning' means for a mortgage note, why a documented payment history is one of the biggest drivers of your price, how much seasoning buyers want, and how to build it if your note is new.
- Selling
What Documents You Need to Sell a Mortgage Note
The complete document checklist for selling a private mortgage note — what each item proves, why buyers require it, and how to fix gaps like a lost original or unrecorded lien.
- Valuation
What Is Your Mortgage Note Worth? How Note Pricing Works
Exactly how mortgage notes are priced — present value, investor yield, and the seven factors that move your note's value up or down. Learn what to expect before you sell.
- Note Types
Wraparound Mortgage Notes Explained
A wraparound mortgage 'wraps' an existing loan into new owner financing. Learn how wraps work, the due-on-sale risk, why they're harder to sell, and how to position a wrap note for the best offer.
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