Article by Dean Engle
How to Buy Notes A Lesson For YouYou know, some things that are a big deal to your borrowers, may seem so little to you.You ask what do you mean?I have two stories to share with you. They are about Natalie and Judy, 2 borrowers that were included in one of my portfolios.A Story on How to Buy Notes…Introducing NatalieNatalie, a lovely lady, paid her monthly mortgage on the same date every month. It was like clockwork. In the pool of non performing notes that I bought, Natalie was one of the few performing first mortgages. Even though her payment was technically due on the first of the month, her payment would always clear on the 5th. She owed ,000 and had a monthly payment of 0, and even if she was 4 days latethe fact that I received the money every month was good enough for me. She was an ideal borrower.I guess the following request shouldnt have surprised me when I had my first spoke with Natalie. She politely asked if I could possibly change her payment due date back a couple days. Natalie asked me if I would accept a payment on the 7th rather than the 1st, only because she wanted to be sure that her paycheck deposited and funds were available for the payment!How is this relevant to an investor who is trying to make money while learning how to buy notes?When it comes to a persons financial relations, there is only one thing in todays market that matters when youre thinking about human relations.The one thing that matters the most is the little things.As an investor in non-performing notes, when a borrower like Natalie asks me if she could pay her mortgage a few days after her due datehow did you think I responded?My response was what date works for you?Really?” You can do that? She sounded ecstatic.Thats all it takes, just me asking?Really? In the business of how to buy notes, a process I thought would be so complicated, was that easy? The simple action of changing a borrowers due date would impact their perception of me that much? Wow. What an eye-opener.So, obviously when I asked Natalie if she would be open to a refinance of her real estate note, she said yes. I told her that I would be putting her in touch with one of my specialist and she provided all the information that I asked from her.A Lesson on How to Buy NotesIf you actually listen to what your borrower is saying, and can determine their needs, you can create a relationship based on the fact that you helped them. Anytime that you help someone in need, they automatically feel an obligation. Use that feeling of obligation to your advantage.Judy – A Story on How to Buy NotesHeres another recent story that I want to share with you.Another borrower contacted me, her name is Judy. A woman with the cutest accent Ive ever heardshes from Tennessee. I find it amazing, that an accent can be so captivating. Even after a long day, when I hear her voice, it brings a smile to my face.And when Judy spoke, what do you think she said in regards to her defaulted mortgage?Dean, you paid my taxes! I owe you a HUGE thank you!What! That was my first reaction. Then after I did my research, I realized that paying the taxes was in my best interest. (Just a note of adviceit is always good to do a tax review towards the last business day of the month.)Benefiting Both Yourself and the Borrower When Learning How to Buy NotesIt was okay, because my act of good kindness in her eyes still benefited me. Any advances on taxes can be added back to the loan, therefore my money would come back to me. On top of that, because Judy was past due on her already delinquent noteI was allowed to accrue interest on the advance that I provided. So in this case, I was actually protecting my interest when I decided to pay the taxes, and I was making extra money on top of it.The way she looked at it, my act of kindness was the nicest thing I could have done for her. She thanked me for helping her keep her house. Ive been here for 20 years, and thanks to your patience that you have shown me.I was absolutely amazed at how much gratitude she showed. It floored me. A decision to pay those taxes to avoid any further delinquency and a possible tax sale, proved to be a beneficial one.You can only imagine how the rest of my day went, it was wonderful! Nothing feels better than to sit there and receive such gratitude over the phone. It really touched me. In the business of buying notes, experiences like this dont happen very much.What else did I learn today? In regards to advances and paying taxes and insurance, it would be very useful to explain to other borrowers the importance of protecting their home. And in this case, how I helped to protect their home.A situation where everyone wins doesnt seem so clich now does it?Not when you look at the experiences that Natalie and Judy taught in how to buy notes.Interested in learning more about the Note Buying Business?Watch Hours of FREE Training Videos here: How to Buy NotesReal-life, Up-to-Date Information for You. Visit NoteBuyingProfits.com or Call 718-783-7605 Or Click Here: How to Buy Discounted MortgagesFrom Dean Engle & NoteBuyingProfits.com – This time on How to Buy Notes
About the Author
Dean has served as the Managing Director and General Partner of Ironwood Funding and Park Tree Investments, two distressed debt investment firms, and as a VP in banking at JP Morgan Chase. He has over 10 years of experience in finance, and 4 years in investment management.
