Even with Owner Financing, Low Credit Scores Will Wipe Out Opportunities

Even with Owner Financing, Low Credit Scores Will Wipe Out Opportunities

I’m just about to close a note deal where the Buyer’s / Payor’s credit score is below 600.    Ouch.  Why can I even work with this?  (Normally this would be a note I couldn’t even consider buying). Because there was a 10% down payment, there is almost 3 years of seasoning (the buyer has been [...]

“If You Don’t Buy a House Now, You’re Stupid or Broke”

“If You Don’t Buy a House Now, You’re Stupid or Broke”

This was the title of an article that ran in Business Week a few weeks back.  Sounds harsh, but it got your attention, didn’t it? He said: “What I’m trying to impress upon everyone is that if you are planning on being a homeowner now and/or in the foreseeable future . . . then pay [...]

Large Banks Accused of Short Sale Fraud

Large Banks Accused of Short Sale Fraud

Jeremy Brandt is the CEO of companies like 1800CashOffer, HomeFlux.com and FastHomeOffer.com . . . all companies that bring lots of distressed sellers, investors and short sale agents together. Over the past several months he’s been receiving all kinds of questions and complaints from his short sale agents about trouble with second lien holders.  Read [...]

Local Attorney Plans to Beat Market with Owner Financing

Local Attorney Plans to Beat Market with Owner Financing

As many of my business dealings are across the country as a note broker and consultant, I really enjoy the opportunity to network with local sellers and real estate professionals when I get the chance. There’s a real estate broker in Whittier that runs a traditional sales business, but also runs a tightly knit real [...]

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (VII of VII)

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (VII of VII)

Deadly Mistake #7: Don’t keep a careful accounting of the note payments you receive Let’s pretend that you have a nice juicy note you’re trying to sell . . . you got a 20% down payment from a buyer who had a 700 FICO, the loan amount was $100,000 at 12% interest.  Fully amortized over [...]

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (VI of VII)

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (VI of VII)

Deadly Mistake #6: Fail to include a provision for late payments and a due on sale clause in your note. A couple I talked to recently had a one year old note that they were trying to sell.  Not only were the terms of the note difficult to understand, but it failed to include a [...]

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (V of VII)

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (V of VII)

Deadly Mistake #5: Create a short-term balloon Because of the Time Value of Money (TVM), which says that money to be received sooner is more valuable than money to be received later, it can seem like putting in a 5 year balloon is a good thing.  No need to wait 30 long years for payoff, [...]

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (IV of VII)

Avoid the 7 Deadly Mistakes Sellers Make When They Carry Paper (IV of VII)

Deadly Mistake #4: Make the interest rate on the note nice and low It’s tempting to offer a low interest rate to entice a buyer to give you a fat, juicy price for your property.  It’s OK if that gets the job done and you’re happy with it, but you just have to know that [...]

Lack of Financing #1 Barrier to Recovery

Lack of Financing #1 Barrier to Recovery

According to a poll released recently by LoopNet, an online commercial real estate marketplace, 46% of commercial real estate professionals say the commercial RE market will not rebound until 2011. Fifty-three percent (53%) expect further price declines of 11% or more. “Lack of access to debt financing” was the No. 1 cited barrier to recovery.  [...]

Deadly Mistake #4: Make the Interest Rate on the Note Nice and Low

Deadly Mistake #4: Make the Interest Rate on the Note Nice and Low

It’s tempting to offer a low interest rate to entice a buyer to give you a fat, juicy price for your property.  It’s OK if that gets the job done and you’re happy with it, but you just have to know that you’re writing in the discount you will ultimately take on your note. Don’t [...]