How To Increase The Value Of Your Seller Financed Mortgage Note
How To Increase The Value Of Your Seller Financed Mortgage Note
Most seller financed mortgage note holders assume that once the deal is done, the value of their note is locked in forever.
It is not.
There are things you can do right now that directly affect what your note is worth. Some should have been done at closing. Others can still be done today. Either way, the time to act is before you need to sell, not after.
What Should Have Happened At Closing
The single most valuable thing a seller financed mortgage note holder can do happens before the ink is dry.
Hire a Residential Mortgage Loan Originator — commonly known as an RMLO.
Most note holders have never heard of one. And that gap is costing them.
An RMLO is a licensed mortgage professional who handles the origination of your seller financed note the same way a bank would handle a traditional mortgage. Here is what they do for you.
They pull your buyer's credit report. They analyze your buyer's debt to income ratio to confirm they can actually afford the payment. They prepare proper loan documentation. And they do all of this in compliance with federal lending laws that most private note holders do not even know apply to them.
Here is what surprises most note holders. The cost of the RMLO is typically paid by the buyer at closing — not you. You get professional grade documentation and a properly originated note at no cost to yourself.
A note originated with RMLO involvement is significantly more valuable than one created on a handshake. Note buyers know the difference immediately.
If you did not use an RMLO when you created your note you are not alone. Most private note holders do not. But now you know — and if you ever create another note an RMLO should be your first call.
Not sure where to find one? Dawn, our Senior Seller Financed Note Analyst, can point you in the right direction. Just reach out.
Get A Lender's Title Policy At Closing
This one cannot be fixed after the fact — but it is critical to understand for any future notes you create.
A lender's title policy protects your interest in the property securing your note. If there are any title defects — liens, ownership disputes, errors in the public record — a lender's title policy covers you.
This is different from the buyer's title policy which protects the buyer's ownership interest. You need your own separate lender's title policy to protect your position as the note holder.
A lender's title policy must be purchased at closing. It cannot be obtained after the fact.
If you did not get one when you created your note you may have exposure you are not aware of. This is one of the reasons a professional note evaluation is so important. It helps you understand exactly what you are holding and any gaps in your documentation.
For any future seller financed notes you create a lender's title policy is non-negotiable.
What You Can Still Do After Closing
Did not use an RMLO? Did not get a lender's title policy?
It is not too late to improve your note's value. Here is what you can do right now.
Get Your Documentation In Order
Your original promissory note is a negotiable instrument. Whoever physically holds that original wet ink document has legal rights to the payments. Not a copy. Not a scan. The original.
Locate your original promissory note right now. If you cannot find it you have a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
Once you find it store it in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box at your bank. Your deed of trust is recorded at the county and can be replaced. Your original note cannot.
While you are at it gather every piece of documentation related to your note. The deed of trust. The closing disclosure. Any correspondence with your buyer. The original purchase contract. Organize it all in one place.
Complete documentation directly increases your note's value. Every missing piece tells the market there is risk — and the market prices that risk with a discount out of your pocket.
Track Your Payment History
Every on time payment your buyer makes is building your note's value. Payment history is one of the most important factors in how your note is priced.
Keep a meticulous record of every payment received. Date. Amount. Method. Running balance. If you are not already doing this start today.
A note with 12 months of documented clean payment history is worth more than a brand new note. A note with 24 months of clean history is worth even more. Every month of on time payments is adding value to what you are holding.
Know What Your Buyer's Credit Looks Like Today
As the lender on your seller financed note you have the right to pull your buyer's credit at any time — just like any other lender would.
Most note holders never do this. They assume no news is good news as long as the payments keep coming. But payments coming in and your buyer's creditworthiness are two completely different things.
Your buyer could be carrying significant new debt. Their credit score could have dropped dramatically since closing. You would never know unless you pulled it.
If their credit has declined since closing that is something you need to know about — especially if you are considering selling your note. Note buyers will pull it and price accordingly. You should know what they are going to find before they find it.
If their credit has improved since closing that is a positive development that directly increases your note's value. Document it.
Pull your buyer's credit periodically. Know what you are holding.
Know What The Property Is Worth Today
The property securing your note is your collateral. Its current value directly affects your note's risk profile and therefore its market value.
Property values change. In some markets they have risen significantly. In others they have declined. An updated appraisal or current market analysis gives you a clear picture of the equity cushion in your note right now.
More equity means less risk for a note buyer. Less risk means better pricing for you.
A declining property value is something you need to know about before a note buyer finds it. Get ahead of it.
The Most Important Thing You Can Do Right Now
Everything above improves your note's value. But none of it matters if you do not know where your note stands today.
The most important step is getting a professional note evaluation before you need to sell. Not when you need to sell. Before.
When note holders call us in a hurry — facing a medical bill, a business opportunity, a life event — they have no leverage. They take whatever number they are offered because they need cash now.
Note holders who know exactly what their note is worth have all the leverage. They know when an offer is fair. They know what to negotiate. They know their options.
That is exactly what Moxxie Asset Group provides.
Ready To Find Out Where Your Note Stands?
Call 352-99-LEARN (352-995-3276) and Our Senior Seller Finance Note Analyst, Dawn, will personally reach out to discuss your note's value and what you can do to maximize it before you ever need to sell.
Or Click The Link Below to fill out our online worksheet at:
SUBMIT ONLINE MORTGAGE WORKSHEET
No cost. No obligation. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about what you are holding and what it is worth.
About Moxxie Asset Group
Moxxie Asset Group works exclusively with seller financed mortgage note holders across the United States. We help note holders understand exactly what they have, know all of their options, and make informed decisions, whether they ever plan to sell or not.
Want to know what your note is worth right now?
Call 352-99-LEARN (352-995-3276) and our Senior Seller Financing Advisor Dawn will personally reach out to discuss your note's value and options. There is no cost, no obligation, and no pressure, just an honest conversation about what you are holding.
