Unlocking the Ca$h in Your Note has Never Been Easier!
Accepting payments on the sale of real estate might have made sense at the time, but circumstances change.
Many sellers discover they would now prefer cash today rather than the small amount that trickles in each month.
Here are just a few reasons people have sold all or part of their seller financed mortgage notes for cash:
Why would a seller allow a buyer to make payments over time for the purchase of property?
Wouldn’t the seller rather get paid now and require the buyer to obtain a bank loan?
What is the first thing a real estate agent does when property is not moving and has been on the market for 60 to 90 days? They reduce the price and add the tagline “price reduced” to all advertising and signs. Rather than reduce the price, it might be beneficial for the seller to offer financing. Buyers provided with financing can certainly pay full price in exchange for the many benefits they receive with owner financing, including the money they save by not paying expensive loan fees, origination fees, and points.
By offering owner financing, the seller increases marketability with a wider group of available purchasers. Statistics show that almost 40 percent of the American population is unable to qualify for traditional bank financing. While not all of the “unqualified” group would be an acceptable risk for owner financing, it still widens the market of prospective buyers considerably. Anyone who has added the words “Owner Will Finance” or “Easy Terms” to a For Sale ad or Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listing knows the phone will ring off the hook with interested prospects.
Another advantage of offering owner financing is substantially lower closing times. A closing involving a third-party conventional lender can take six to eight weeks while closing a seller-financed transaction through a reputable title company can take as little as two to three weeks. This is due to the reduced paperwork and less restrictive due diligence process.
There are many properties that encounter financing difficulties including mixed use property, land, mobile and land, non-conforming, low value, and others. Investors realize excellent returns by paying a reduced cash or wholesale price on a hard-to-finance property and then reselling at a higher retail price with easy financing terms.
Why let the banks earn all the interest? Sellers can keep the property-earning income even after they sell by offering owner financing. For example, a $100,000 mortgage at 9 percent with monthly payments of $804.62 will pay back $289,663.20 over 30 years. That additional $189,663.20 (over the $100,000 mortgage) is power of interest income!
If considering seller financing, be sure to consult with a qualified professional to properly document the transaction.
It also helps to speak with note investors to gain insight on appealing terms and structuring techniques. This assures top-dollar pricing should you ever want to convert the payments to cash by assigning your note, mortgage, deed of trust, or contract to an investor.
Want top dollar when selling mortgage notes?
Keeping an accurate record of the payments received on a mortgage note is essential for knowing how much the buyer still owes. This also establishes a record of their payment habits – with an added benefit.
The value of a note can be improved by presenting note buyers a verifiable payment history!
There are two main ways to keep track of payments on seller-financed mortgage notes: 1) outside serviced, or 2) seller direct.
The first and easiest is to let a professional handle it. The payments are made to a third party servicing agent that keeps track of the balance and sends the money along to the seller. They will also send out the annual 1098 Mortgage Interest Statements and can hold original documents in safe keeping.
If a seller chooses the “Do-It-Yourself”’ method over a third party pro they will need to follow these steps:
1. Place original note and other original documents in a safe deposit box.
2. Make a copy of each check or money ordered received. Accepting cash is not recommended since it is hard to verify the payment history without a paper trail.
3. Deposit the payment and keep a copy of the bank record of deposit. It is best to deposit each payment separately rather than combining with other checks.
4. Create a ledger or spreadsheet reflecting the date and amount of payments received.
5. Calculate the amount applied to interest, principal, late fees (if any), and the resulting principal balance. An amortization schedule or financial calculator can be helpful. Once calculated, record in the ledger.
6. Send out an annual statement to the buyer or payer along with the IRS1098 Mortgage Interest Statement.
7. Verify the real estate taxes and property insurance are being kept current. Consider establishing a tax and insurance escrow where the buyer pays 1/12th of the annual amount into a reserve account each month.
8. Send collection letters as necessary for late payments, lapsed insurance, or delinquent real estate taxes.
When an investor agrees to purchase a note they will request a payment history. A verifiable payment history can improve the value of a note as it provides proof of timely payments. A payment history is considered verified when it is either provided by a third party or is backed up by the documents and records outlined above.
Unfortunately many sellers fail to keep track of the payments received. When they go to sell the note, contract, or trust deed they try to recreate the history from memory. Without any proof of payments received, a note buyer has to go on faith. Sometimes a payment history affidavit can substitute for a payment record but it still doesn’t add the value of verifiable proof.
Protect the value of your mortgage note! Set up a payment tracking method today.
Welcome to Ca$h for Notes! We realize that selling your mortgage note can be one of the most important financial decisions you make. We also realize the entire process may seem confusing and we want you to know we are here to help. We are committed to providing you the best possible service … Read More
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