Note investing is a little known investment strategy that allows you to basically be the bank. As a note investor, you purchase debts from financial institutions and then collect interest on the debt until it is repaid. Some types of notes you can purchase are credit card notes, store financing debts, auto loans, and even home mortgages. Once you own the note, you collect the interest. Depending on what type of note you purchase, note investing is a very safe and passive investing strategy. You buy a note and sit back and make money.

However, not all notes are created equal. Credit card notes and store debts are unsecured, meaning there is not collateral to fall back on in the case of default. They usually earn you higher interest but come with a much higher risk. Mortgage notes are usually fairly safe because the physical property can be used as collateral in the event of default.

If you are interested in purchasing mortgage notes, you can make your money work double or even triple by purchasing non-performing notes. Non-performing notes are pretty much exactly what they sound like, debts that are currently in default. While this may sound like a crazy idea, it has many benefits. Here are a few benefits of purchasing non-performing notes that you NEED to consider.

1. Non-performing notes can maximize your profits while minimizing your initial investment. A $200,000 note will cost you significantly less because it is currently in default, meaning the borrower is not repaying their debt.

2. Once you own the note, you can set about the process of rehabbing it. Just like you would fix up a house, you can fix up a note. Depending on your end goals, there are a few ways to go about this. If the note is for a property you would like to own as an investment, you can foreclose and take possession of the property. Since you got the note at a discount this means you get the property for a significant discount as well.

3. If owning the property is not your end goal, you can re-negotiate the terms of the non-performing note with the borrower. This basically involves changing the terms of the note so that the borrower is able to start making payments and get out of default on the note.

4. Once the non-performing note is performing again, you can either hold onto it and earn interest, or you can sell it as a performing note for a considerable profit.

While non-performing notes are a great way to make money, it is important to remember that there is still risk involved, especially if this is your first time investing in notes. The laws and regulations surrounding note investing are complex so don’t try to go it alone. Call the professionals at Level 4 Funding today to get started purchasing non-performing notes.

Dennis Dahlberg

Broker/RI/CEO/MLO