Often a note holder wishes to sell their note but is just
unfamiliar with the process of the transaction. Required documentation is what every note
holder should have ready when they have made the decision to sell their owner financed
mortgage. In this article, we will
outline all the required documentation and how it relates to taking the deal to
closing and collecting that lump sum of cash in exchange for their seller
financed note.
First and foremost, is submitting a copy of the note and its
amortization schedule. This will be used
to confirm all and any information that was given over the phone or in
person. It will establish credibility
between the buyer and the seller in addition to showing the terms of the note
and its date of maturity. Buyers will also use this document to pull credit on
the payor(person living on the property who is paying the monthly bill to the
note holder) to find out their credit
score which is one of the main factors in pricing the note. If the credit score of the payor is low, this
will affect the quote given to a note seller resulting in lower numbers for the
client. Some buyers will refuse to do a
deal if the credit score of the payor is considered too low. Most buyers will want the payor to have an
average credit rating of 625 or better.
The amortization schedule connected to the note will show potential
buyers all the required payments, due dates, along with an end date or date of
maturity.
The next required document a note seller will need to submit
is a copy or proof of an existing title insurance policy. The buyers will update the policy if one
already exist. If one does not exist, the buyers will purchase a new title
insurance policy with the cost coming out of the proceeds to the client. This is required since this is the only
protection the buyers have in retaining the title in the event the payor ever
defaulted or walked from their financial responsibilities. Proof of a home
owner’s insurance policy is also required for the deal to go to closing. This protects the buyer’s investment from
things like natural disaster. Scanned
copies of most of these documents are usually acceptable to keep the deal going
through processing.
The next document buyers would want to see is a “note
analysis worksheet” on the property which outlines details of the note like
address, appraisal of property, interest rate, payments made, are they made on
time, are there any liens on the property, etc.
In addition, a 12 month payment
history of the the payor would be required.
Proof of this history is best shown by copies of cancelled checks the
payor made monthly on the property which should be easily obtained from the
bank the checks were deposited. A credit
check on the payor is also done to give the buyers an accurate assessment of
whether the payor will keep his end of the bargain by paying consistently every
month on time. Usually buyers are looking for a credit score of 625 or above
but will work with credit scores as low as 500.
After all this paperwork is submitted, the buyers will send
out an appraiser to insure the current value of the property. If the appraisal checks out will the
information given on the “note analysis worksheet”, the deal will now proceed
to closing. The seller of the note would
be informed of a closing date and local title company they would personally go
to signed closing statements, hand over any original copies of the note, and
collect their payment for the note. The most common thing that slows down most
note deal payoffs is the speed at which the documentation is sent in by the
note holder. If they drag their feet
about sending in paperwork, it just delays the process. Most deals are concluded in 30-45 days but
with all the proper documentation sent in all at once, payoffs can be in as
little as 15 days. The key as always
when getting the best price for your note is to shop around for the best broker
that will get you the best price for your note.