In this episode we talk about a real estate note secured by land, created through a seller financed real estate transaction. We also get into how to position for the financial reset we are seeing unfold right before our eyes.
Be sure to sign up to participate live by subscribing at NoteQueen.com

Most people would probably be surprised to know how seller financing in 1031 exchanges can work. A seller wants to do a 1031 exchange, but they end up with a buyer asking for owner financing.

Do they have to reject the offer?

Not necessarily. If structured properly, a note can be created (giving the buyer what they need) and then sold, giving the seller the cash they need for their upleg.

In this month's Property & Paper Live, I break down exactly how seller financing in 1031 exchanges works in the real world — plus the pitfalls, timeline traps, and creative strategies that experienced investors use to pull these deals together smoothly.

NoteQueen.com

Dawn Rickabaugh, host of Property and Paper Live and creator of NoteQueen.com, delivers an insightful lecture on real estate investing, financing, and note buying strategies. Emphasizing the importance of understanding one's core identity beyond professional roles, she encourages participants to distill their essence into clear, meaningful statements to deepen their purpose and motivation. Dawn shares a personal story about managing a special property with a unique energetic footprint and the importance of stewarding sacred spaces in real estate transactions. She highlights current market dynamics including owner financing, master leasing, and creative solutions for "accidental landlords" amid changing rental markets. The discussion includes practical advice on working with real estate agents through creative financing, structuring commissions over time, and addressing challenges in the rental and note markets. Dawn also warns about IRA precious metals scams and stresses the need for vigilance in financial dealings. The session concludes with an invitation to join her coaching program and the importance of community interaction in learning and applying real estate strategies to create financial solutions for individuals and families.

### Highlights - Dawn emphasizes defining "who you are" beyond what you do to align with your true purpose. - Personal storytelling highlights the emotional and energetic significance of real estate beyond mere transactions. - Owner financing and master leasing are showcased as essential tools in today's complex real estate market. - Creative commission structures can help agents sell difficult listings and secure deals. - The lecture warns about prevalent IRA precious metals scams targeting seniors and self-directed accounts. - Market conditions show an increase in accidental landlords, creating opportunities for creative financing solutions. - Dawn promotes her coaching program as a way to gain practical skills and community support for real estate investing success.

### Key Insights - **Identity and Purpose Drive Success:** Dawn's exercise of distilling her essence into a few sentences reveals that clarity about one's core identity fuels passion and resilience in real estate investing. This self-awareness translates into more authentic and effective decision-making. - **Real Estate as a Sacred Space:** Viewing properties as energetic and emotional spaces rather than just assets creates a deeper connection with clients and the community, enhancing stewardship and long-term value. - **Creative Financing as a Competitive Edge:** Tools like owner financing, master leasing, and flexible commission payments give investors and agents tactical advantages in tight markets and with sellers who have high price expectations. - **Navigating Market Challenges:** The rise of accidental landlords and renters' changing needs require innovative solutions that balance cash flow, tenant management, and property maintenance. Recognizing this can lead to sustainable investment strategies. - **Risk Awareness in Financial Deals:** The mention of IRA precious metal scams underscores the critical importance of due diligence and consumer education to protect investments, especially among vulnerable populations. - **Community and Collaboration Enhance Learning:** Dawn stresses the value of live interaction and shared experiences in coaching environments to address real-world problems and accelerate learning. - **Long-Term Vision and Integrity:** Encouraging investors to operate with integrity and purpose supports building lasting wealth and positive impact, rather than short-term quick profits.

This was a fun chat with someone I met through another coaching group for entrprenuers. Erin and I can appreciate each others' sense of humor... and being able to laugh is high value! We got caught here in the beginning laughing over Charmander... anyone have kids that used to play Pokemon??

We discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding homeownership in today's market, specifically focusing on owner financing as a powerful, yet often overlooked strategy. The conversation addresses the difficulties faced by younger generations in buying homes due to soaring prices and high-interest rates, and how traditional bank financing may no longer be the only or best option. Instead, owner financing—where the seller acts as the lender—can unlock trillions in home equity held mostly by baby boomers, creating a win-win scenario for both sellers and buyers.

We cover how government policies and monetary interventions during and after COVID-19 have distorted housing markets, driving up prices and making homeownership inaccessible for many. They emphasize that many boomers own homes free and clear, holding substantial equity that can be leveraged through owner financing to provide flexible, lower-interest loans to younger buyers. This method bypasses traditional bank loans, reduces transaction costs, and can offer better terms for both parties.

The discussion also dives into practical advice on how to approach owner financing deals, including how buyers can find sellers willing to finance, the importance of having at least a 10% down payment, and how owner financing documents work similarly to bank loans but without the middleman. The conversation highlights the tax advantages and income stability for sellers who carry the loan, and the benefit to buyers who can secure better interest rates and terms. The value of fostering personal relationships and trust between parties is stressed, along with the need for proper legal guidance.

They also touch on common misconceptions about owner financing, the risks of poorly structured notes, and the secondary market for selling these loans. The interview concludes with encouragement for people to explore owner financing as a strategic alternative to conventional home buying, especially amid current market volatility and economic uncertainty, offering hope and actionable insights for those feeling priced out or stuck.

In this comprehensive discussion led by Dawn Rickabaugh, a seasoned seller finance expert and owner of NoteQueen.com, the multifaceted benefits and strategies of using owner financing in real estate transactions are explored in depth. Dawn emphasizes the critical interplay between "property and paper," referring to the tangible real estate asset and the financial instruments (notes) that represent debt secured by that property. The conversation covers practical insights for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals on how seller financing can serve as a powerful alternative or complement to traditional bank financing, especially in challenging market conditions where conventional loans may be difficult to obtain.

Dawn highlights the growing importance of owner financing amid tightening credit markets, rising interest rates, and shifting real estate dynamics in various U.S. regions and Canada. She explains how owner financing not only opens doors for buyers with substantial down payments but limited access to bank loans, but also creates unique opportunities for sellers to maximize their property's value by offering flexible, attractive financing terms. The discussion dives into the strategic advantages of owning and buying notes, including the ability to buy back one's own mortgage at a discount, negotiate terms directly with note holders, and benefit from the personal relationship between buyer and seller—advantages not available with traditional bank loans.

Real-life examples and participant insights enrich the discussion, illustrating how owner financing can enable cash flow, tax benefits, and enhanced deal flexibility. The session also addresses common misconceptions, the importance of legal protections such as first rights of refusal and transferability clauses, and innovative approaches like rent-to-own conversions and master leases.

The conversation culminates in practical advice for real estate agents to leverage these tools to rescue commissions and become indispensable dealmakers in a market where creative financing solutions are increasingly vital. Dawn announces forthcoming educational courses aimed at empowering buyers and investors to confidently use owner financing and notes as wealth-building vehicles. Overall, the session serves as both a primer and an advanced exploration of seller financing's potential to transform real estate investing and homeownership.

### Highlights - [00:00:05] 🏠 Introduction to seller financing and the "dance between property and paper." - [00:04:53] 📉 Real estate market shifts and challenges for buyers with traditional financing. - [00:07:41] 🔑 Builders selling more inventory than resale homes due to incentives and rate buy-downs. - [00:13:05] 💡 Unique buyer benefits of owner financing, including buying back notes at a discount. - [00:20:33] ❤️ Human element of owner financing—flexibility and negotiation in hard times. - [00:30:47] 💰 Owner financing enables higher sale prices through attractive terms and cash flow. - [00:43:39] 💼 Real-life case study of self-directed IRA used to fund owner-financed purchase. 

### Key Insights - [00:01:14] 🏦 **Seller financing as an overlooked alternative:** Many buyers with strong down payments are locked out by banks due to self-employment or credit constraints. Seller financing provides a direct path to homeownership by tapping into the equity of property owners rather than relying on traditional lenders. This expands the pool of potential buyers and keeps deals alive in tight credit environments. 

- [00:02:47] 📄 **"Paper business" explained:** Real estate loans are fundamentally about paper contracts—notes and mortgages—that create enforceable promises to pay. Private individuals can create and trade these notes, turning real estate transactions into flexible financial instruments. This understanding demystifies note buying and selling, providing a foundation for creative real estate investing beyond conventional bank mortgages. 

- [00:04:24] 📉 **Market realities and generational challenges:** Younger buyers face significant barriers due to high prices, limited affordable financing, and economic shifts. Owner financing can be a vital tool for this demographic, providing paths to ownership even when traditional financing is unavailable or unattractive. The current slowdowns in many markets underscore the need for alternative approaches. 

- [00:13:25] 💡 **Buying back your own note as a secret weapon:** If you purchase a property with owner financing, you can buy the note from the seller later at a discount if they need cash. This tactic allows buyers to effectively reduce their debt and increase equity, a flexibility banks do not offer. It creates a unique avenue for wealth building and financial control over one's property. 

- [00:16:14] 🤝 **Human flexibility in private financing:** Unlike banks, private note holders are individuals who can work with buyers through financial hardships, offering renegotiations or temporary relief. This personal element reduces foreclosure risk and fosters mutually beneficial solutions during tough times. Such flexibility is a key advantage of owner financing. 

- [00:30:07] 💸 **Owner financing can increase property value and cash flow:** Offering below-market financing rates to buyers can justify a higher sale price or generate steady cash flow for sellers. This approach benefits sellers by expanding the buyer pool and buyers by providing affordable terms, creating win-win scenarios that traditional financing rarely achieves. 

- [00:55:45] 🔄 **Transferring notes and springing guarantees:** Experienced note investors use clauses allowing notes to be transferred or collateral swapped without full payoff, increasing liquidity and investment flexibility. However, risks remain, such as sudden events (e.g., death) that can disrupt transactions, requiring careful legal structuring and risk management. 

- [00:57:45] 💼 **Commission structures and seller financing for agents:** Agents can increase their commissions by facilitating owner-financed deals and even take their commissions on installment terms secured by collateral assignments. This innovative approach keeps deals viable in tight markets and aligns incentives for all parties. 

- [00:49:34] 📊 **Tax advantages of seller financing:** Payments received on seller-financed sales can be structured to spread out capital gains tax liability over time, often resulting in tax efficiencies for sellers. This hidden benefit is rarely discussed but can improve net returns significantly, making owner financing a powerful tax planning tool. 

- [00:38:13] 📈 **Leveraging low-rate financing in lower-tier neighborhoods to fund acquisitions in better neighborhoods:** Investors can use owner financing to acquire properties in less desirable areas at attractive rates, then sell or refinance into higher-value neighborhoods, effectively using seller financing as a stepping stone to build wealth across markets. 

- [00:24:49] 🎯 **Incremental approach to buying notes:** Techniques like prepaying multiple months' payments can soften sellers to future discounts and create opportunities to purchase notes at a reduced price, building wealth incrementally without large upfront capital. 

- [00:43:39] 🏢 **Using self-directed IRAs for owner financing:** Investors can use self-directed retirement accounts to fund owner-financed deals, enabling tax-advantaged investing into real estate debt, expanding the toolbox for both investors and retirement savers. 

- [00:47:48] 🌟 **Becoming a go-to real estate professional by mastering owner financing:** Agents knowledgeable in creative financing solutions can rescue commissions, solve deal breakdowns, and become indispensable in challenging ma...

In this comprehensive discussion, Dawn delves into the intricacies, opportunities, and pitfalls of creative real estate financing—particularly seller financing, seller-held notes, and contract-for-deed arrangements. 

The conversation is framed around real-life case studies involving high-equity sellers, ethical considerations, and practical challenges in managing seller-financed deals. 

Dawn shares her personal experiences, including a detailed story about helping her cleaning lady and others caught in problematic seller-financed home purchases with incomplete or unrecorded paperwork. 

The narrative exposes the risks of unscrupulous sellers who exploit buyers through poorly structured deals and highlights the importance of legal, ethical, and transparent financing arrangements. 

Dawn also discusses market dynamics, the risks of lease options and subject-to deals, and the need for education and certification in this niche to protect all parties involved. 

The session ends with reflections on bridging the gap between older equity-rich sellers and younger buyers, emphasizing the win-win potential of seller financing when done correctly. ### Highlights 

- 🏠 Seller financing and contract-for-deed deals can unlock massive value, especially with high-equity sellers. - ⚠️ Poorly structured deals and unethical sellers give creative financing a bad name and expose buyers to significant risk. - 🤝 Ethical, transparent, and legally protected seller financing is a powerful tool for passive income and wealth creation. - 📉 Lease options and subject-to deals carry high risk due to lack of proper disclosure and potential loan acceleration. - 💡 Education, certification, and proper note servicing are crucial for investors and agents involved in seller financing. - 👵 The majority of national home equity is held by older generations needing exit strategies, while younger buyers seek alternative financing. - 💬 Real-life case studies demonstrate the importance of balancing empathy, legal rigor, and practical solutions in distressed seller-financed situations. ### Key Insights 

 - 🏦 **High-equity sellers represent a significant opportunity in real estate financing.** With 38% of properties holding $32.8 trillion in equity nationwide, focusing on these sellers through seller financing can yield substantial returns without resorting to risky, complicated structures. Dawn emphasizes that the "juice" is in these high-equity deals, which are often overlooked by mainstream investors chasing volume over quality. 

- ⚖️ **Ethics and legality are paramount in creative financing to protect vulnerable buyers.** Dawn's story about his cleaning lady's problematic purchase illustrates how some sellers exploit buyers with unrecorded contracts, imbalanced terms, and predatory behavior. Such deals harm the reputation of seller financing and highlight the need for full transparency, proper documentation, and recorded contracts to avoid leaving buyers "hanging out in the wind." 

- 🔄 **Seller financing offers resilience and passive income even in turbulent times.** Dawn recounts how her note business sustained her during personal and global upheavals, underscoring the value of consistent cash flow and built-in equity over chasing commissions or traditional broker fees. This stability allows investors and sellers to reset, avoid the "hamster wheel," and build a sustainable financial foundation. 

- 📜 **Incomplete or missing paperwork in seller-financed deals creates complex legal and practical challenges.** The story of the widow inheriting a messy portfolio without proper documentation reveals how difficult it is to enforce terms, protect equity, or negotiate with occupants who may have conflicting interests. This situation necessitates creative, case-by-case solutions such as restructuring into mortgages, lowering interest rates, or converting to leases, each with its own risks and compromises. 

- ⚠️ **Lease options and subject-to deals are often misunderstood and mishandled, leading to significant risks for sellers and buyers.** Dawn and her guest Bob discuss how many investors fail to fully explain or underwrite these deals, resulting in defaults, credit damage, and loss of control over the property. The potential for lender acceleration of the underlying mortgage adds another layer of complexity, requiring thorough knowledge, proper disclosure, and contingency planning. 

- 🎓 **There is a pressing need for specialized education and certification in seller financing and note investing.** The conversation reveals that many real estate professionals, including agents, attorneys, and brokers, lack expertise in the secondary note market and creative financing structures. Developing certification courses and training can empower these professionals to offer accurate advice, protect clients, and facilitate smoother transactions. 

- 👵👶 **Bridging generational gaps in real estate equity through seller financing creates win-win solutions.** Older homeowners control the bulk of equity and often seek hassle-free income or exit strategies, while younger buyers struggle to qualify for traditional financing. Seller financing can connect these groups effectively, enabling seniors to monetize their assets and younger buyers to access homes without conventional bank loans. However, this requires careful structuring to address differing needs and risks. 

- 🤝 **Investor involvement and ongoing management are critical to success in seller-financed deals.** Dawn stresses that high-volume wholesalers and partially trained investors often overlook the responsibilities involved, leading to poor outcomes. Investors must stay engaged, understand the risks, and have plans to manage defaults or loan accelerations. Treating seller financing as a boutique, hands-on business rather than a volume game ensures better protection for all parties. 

- 💸 **Creative financing tools can be used humanely or exploitatively, depending on intent.** Dawn's approach to offering an option to a distressed homeowner (instead of foreclosing) exemplifies how these tools can preserve equity and dignity. Conversely, unscrupulous sellers who expect to reclaim properties repeatedly at buyers' expense degrade the reputation of seller financing. The ethical dimension influences not only outcomes but also regulatory scrutiny and market perception. 

- 🏘️ **Property management challenges in seller-financed deals often extend beyond financial issues to social and safety concerns.** The case of occupants bringing in unapproved residents, threatening eviction processes, and creating unsafe environments highlights how seller financing also carries landlord-like responsibilities and risks, which sellers or note holders must be prepared to handle. 

- 🔍 **The secondary note market remains largely invisible yet represents a critical component of real estate finance.** Dawn laments the lack of awareness about seller financing outside niche circles, even among real estate professionals. Increasing public knowledge can unlock significant opportunities for both investors and homeowners, expanding the toolbox beyond conventional bank loans. 

- 📈 **Market conditions influence the viability and structuring of seller-financed deals.** Rising property values can help distressed sellers avoid foreclosure losses, while deteriorating markets increase risk. Investors must tailor strategies accordingly, balancing affordability, equity preservation, and exit options. 

- 💬 **Engaging community input and peer discussion helps refine strategies and share best practices.** Dawn's live interaction with participants reveals diverse perspectives and solutions, reinforcing that seller fina...

In this insightful and extensive discussion, Dawn Rickabaugh, host of Property and Paper Live, sheds light on the evolving real estate market of mid-2025, emphasizing the growing importance and practicality of seller financing and note investing as viable alternatives to traditional bank financing.

Dawn's core message targets everyday "Main Street" investors and homeowners, aiming to demystify seller financing (owner financing), notes, and the secondary market for these financial instruments, which have long been confined to niche investor circles or institutional players.

Dawn begins by addressing the current market challenges: Many sellers are frustrated by stagnant listings, lack of offers, and unrealistic pricing expectations. She highlights that while some sellers might pull their properties off the market due to a lack of motivation, a significant portion needs to find creative solutions to close deals.

Seller financing emerges as a powerful tool for both sellers and buyers to keep the market moving. By offering terms, sellers can maintain their asking price while buyers who can't get traditional bank loans can still purchase properties.

The conversation then pivots to practical advice for realtors and investors on how to structure these deals. Dawn explains that seller financing transactions closely resemble traditional real estate deals with only minor but critical differences, primarily involving a seller financing addendum and the replacement of institutional lenders with the seller as the note holder.

She stresses the simplicity of the process, encouraging agents to embrace the concept rather than avoid it due to unfamiliarity.

The latter part of the discussion addresses the challenges investors face in acquiring properties through seller financing, including resistance from sellers and agents unfamiliar with or unwilling to entertain terms offers.

Dawn provides strategies for overcoming these barriers, such as starting with a cash offer and then introducing creative financing if the cash price is rejected, submitting letters of intent to bypass agent roadblocks, and focusing marketing efforts on motivated sellers like tired landlords or absentee owners.

Throughout, Dawn emphasizes the need for education, ethical conduct, and professional competence among real estate agents, investors, and attorneys involved in these transactions. She advocates for a blend of traditional and creative strategies to navigate a complex, shifting market, empowering individuals to create financial solutions tailored to their needs. Highlights 

•  Seller financing is a practical solution for stuck real estate markets where traditional bank loans are hard to obtain.
•  Owner financing transactions closely mirror traditional deals, requiring only a seller financing addendum and a mindset shift.
•  Notes created through seller financing are valuable assets that can be sold on the secondary market for liquidity.
•  Key factors influencing note value include down payment size, interest rate, and property collateral quality.
•  Many sellers must drop prices or offer terms to attract buyers in a market with declining buyer activity.
•  Realtors and investors need to collaborate and educate themselves to effectively use owner financing strategies.
•  Creative deal structuring, including partial note sales and lease options, can unlock more opportunities.

Key Insights 

•  Market Stagnation Requires Creative Solutions: The real estate market as of mid-2025 is characterized by many listings sitting unsold, and sellers reluctant to reduce prices. This creates a bottleneck that seller financing can alleviate by enabling sellers to maintain price points while offering terms attractive to buyers unable to secure bank financing. This insight highlights a shift from a purely cash or traditional loan market to a hybrid approach driven by necessity.
•  Seller Financing Is Not Complex—Just Different: Dawn stresses that seller financing involves very little procedural deviation from standard real estate transactions. The main difference lies in the financing structure—where the seller acts as the lender, holding a note secured by the property. This demystification is vital because many agents and sellers avoid owner financing due to perceived complexity or fear of legal pitfalls, which is largely unfounded when proper documentation and professional guidance are used.
•  Notes as Tradable Financial Assets: A crucial insight is the recognition that seller-financed notes are not just payment contracts but marketable financial instruments with intrinsic value. Sellers can monetize these notes by selling them on a secondary market, providing liquidity without relinquishing the entire asset. This parallels institutional mortgage-backed securities but on a private, smaller scale, offering an innovative exit strategy for sellers.
•  Note Valuation Depends on Terms and Collateral: The value of a note is influenced heavily by the size of the buyer's down payment (hard equity), the interest rate, and the quality of the collateral property. Larger down payments reduce default risk, making the note more valuable, while higher interest rates increase yield for note buyers. This nuanced understanding allows sellers to price notes competitively and buyers to evaluate risk-return tradeoffs accurately.
•  Agent and Seller Education Is Critical: Many real estate professionals and sellers lack awareness of the secondary market for notes and the benefits of owner financing. This knowledge gap leads to missed opportunities, such as agents failing to present full-price offers contingent on seller financing or sellers not understanding the value of their note after closing. Educating these stakeholders is key to mainstream adoption and smoother transactions.
•  Strategic Deal Structuring Unlocks Value: Dawn highlights innovative approaches like partial note sales (selling portions of future payments) to meet sellers' cash needs without losing entire payment streams, and lease options to bridge gaps between cash offers and seller price expectations. These structures offer flexibility in a challenging market, allowing deals to close that otherwise would stall.
•  Positioning and Persistence in Acquisition: For investors, gaining seller financing deals requires persistence, rapport-building, and often starting with cash offers before introducing creative financing. Targeting motivated sellers such as tired landlords or absentee owners and leveraging direct marketing can improve lead quality. This insight underlines that success in this niche requires patience, adaptability, and education rather than expecting quick wins.

Conclusion 
Dawn Rickabaugh's discussion presents a comprehensive, practical guide to navigating the current real estate market using seller financing and note investing. By breaking down misconceptions, emphasizing the ease of implementation, and revealing the financial mechanics behind notes and their secondary market, she offers a roadmap for both sellers and buyers to unlock liquidity, maintain pricing power, and create mutually beneficial transactions. The talk underscores the importance of education and professional responsibility while encouraging real estate agents and investors to embrace these creative tools to revitalize a market in flux.

A comprehensive discussion led by Dawn Rickabaugh on the current real estate market dynamics, owner financing strategies, note investing, and creative deal structuring amidst a shifting market landscape. Dawn emphasizes that the current market volatility and tightening liquidity create both challenges and opportunities for real estate investors, especially those skilled in owner financing and note deals.

The conversation includes practical experiences, such as handling land contracts, note sales, and creative financing mechanisms like "springing guarantees" and substitution of collateral. Dawn also highlights the importance of adapting to market changes, particularly for sellers who face increasing competition and price pressures.

Several real-world examples illustrate the nuanced decisions investors must make, balancing risk, market value, and cash flow. The dialogue also touches on tax strategies, loan-to-value considerations, secondary market demands, and the evolving role of title companies in complex transactions. Overall, the session encourages investors to embrace creative financing solutions to thrive in a buyer-favored market where traditional bank lending is constrained.

### Highlights - 🏡 The current market volatility favors investors skilled in creative financing and note investing. - 💡 Owner financing is a critical tool for sellers to achieve their price in a competitive market. - 📜 Land contracts carry risks; converting them to deeds of trust is often safer for note holders. - 🔄 Substitution of collateral allows note holders to maintain notes even when properties are flipped. - 📉 Many markets are shifting from seller's to buyer's markets, with price reductions becoming common. - ⚠️ Title companies are increasingly scrutinizing documentation, complicating closings. - 📊 Understanding loan-to-value ratios and realistic yield expectations is vital for note sales and financing deals.

### Key Insights - 🏦 **Market volatility as an opportunity:** Dawn welcomes the craziness in the market, as it heightens demand for creative financing solutions. When traditional bank loans dry up or become more restrictive, owner financing, notes, and seller carryback strategies become essential tools for closing deals and capturing value. This environment rewards investors who understand how to structure deals beyond conventional mortgages.

- 🤝 **Avoiding land contracts due to risk:** Despite initially using land contracts, Dawn now generally avoids them because of the risks of being on title. Land contracts won't protect you from potentially having to foreclose in case of default.

- 🔄 **Springing guarantees and substitution of collateral:** The concept of a springing guarantee allows a personal guarantee to "spring" into effect if the note becomes unsecured, offering flexible security without constant paperwork. Similarly, substitution of collateral allows the note holder to maintain their security interest by moving the deed of trust from one property to another when properties are flipped. These tools reflect innovative ways to manage risk while maintaining cash flow from paper.

- 📉 **Shift toward buyer's market and pricing realities:** Data suggests many counties are experiencing price reductions, signaling a potential shift from a seller's to a buyer's market. Sellers anchored to 2022 price expectations may face difficulty. This scenario demands sellers get creative with financing terms, as price competition intensifies and buyers remain cautious about overpaying in a depreciating market.

- ⚠️ **Title company challenges add friction:** Increased scrutiny from title companies, especially in states like California, complicates note assignments and deed of trust modifications. Title companies may refuse to insure certain documents or require excessive affidavits. This can delay or jeopardize deals, emphasizing the need for investors to navigate title company requirements carefully and sometimes seek alternative providers.

- 💰 **Note pricing depends on realistic loan-to-value and yield expectations:** Investors and sellers often misunderstand the relationship between note terms, yield, and marketability. Notes with low down payments or low interest rates rarely sell near face value due to higher perceived risk and opportunity cost. For example, a note on a $2 million property with only 15% down and 5% interest will likely require a discount of 30% or more to attract buyers, reflecting real-world secondary market demands.

- 💡 **Creative solutions to tax and inheritance planning:** A show participant discusses integrating life insurance strategies to create tax-efficient wealth transfer for sellers who want to pass on property value to heirs without immediate tax consequences. This highlights how combining finance, tax planning, and estate planning can provide tailored solutions that meet seller goals beyond simple sale transactions.

### Conclusion The current real estate environment is challenging but ripe with opportunity for investors skilled in creative financing and note investing. Sellers and buyers must adapt to the evolving market by embracing owner financing, understanding realistic note pricing, and navigating legal complexities like land contracts and title company scrutiny. Innovative tools such as springing guarantees and substitution of collateral enhance flexibility and risk management. Meanwhile, integrating tax and estate planning adds further value for sellers looking beyond immediate sale proceeds. By mastering these strategies, investors and sellers can thrive despite tightening liquidity, shifting buyer-seller dynamics, and market uncertainty.

This video provides practical wisdom, real-world case studies, and strategic insights essential for anyone involved in owner financing, note investing, or creative real estate deal structuring in today's market.

A woman returns to the show on behalf of her sister who owns a rental property in Ojai, CA. The tenants are offering to buy the property and we discuss her options. I also share a story where I didn't verify where a down payment came from, and the way it played out, I barely broke even instead of making an easy $30K.

Find quick links at 

https://Linktr.ee/DawnRickabaugh

Sign up to be notified of future Property & Paper LIVE episodes:

https://notequeen.com

My dear Robin in Texas, who has been a loyal and generous follower for years, comes on to talk in depth about her struggles to deal with bad tenants, rehab following eviction, and a potential exit using seller financing to sell the mobile on land to someone who needs a home.

This is great for helping real estate and note investors think through the various options, get their head on straight, and choose what options are best... going in with eyes wide open.

It's not fun to get blindsided down the road because you went into owner financing only having half-baked understanding of the short and long term considerations.

http://linktr.ee/DawnRickabaugh