Which of these would you rather have: a fifty dollar bill today, or a one hundred dollar bill in a year? Most people will choose the fifty dollar bill, and who could blame them? A dollar in your hand is worth much more than the potential of a dollar later to most people, and that is the exact reason that real estate notes are generally sold at a discounted price to buyers who are willing to wait the extra time to reap the rewards of the investment.
A special formulas used by real estate note investors to determine the amount that should be paid for a note at any given time based on the time value of money. Dollars tomorrow are not worth as much to us as dollars today, remember. This discount means that you are not paying the full value of a note (which would include the interest charged on the account) but would instead be paying a lower rate based on the determined value of that money in the future and factoring in the time that it will take you to get your money.
If you choose to buy and sell these discounted notes, you can earn a great deal of money. One way to do that is to purchase the real estate notes directly from the originator of the loan, especially if the loan was originally a seller financed mortgage, and by doing so at a deep discount. Private sellers are less likely to know the true value of the note, and more likely to be highly motivated to sell their note quickly. If you can get them to accept a lesser amount for the note, then you can you can make a great return quickly by turning around and selling the note to another investor.
This is the way in which most people decide to make their money when it comes to investing real estate notes, and that means that the competition to buy these notes is very high. A very good deal is a true boon to a buyer like you who is trying to build their real estate note investment portfolio. The competition makes it very difficult to find great deals in the market.
Private sellers can be found through intensive advertising, both in your own local area and online if you choose to go that route, although the competition online is especially fierce. You can build up your own real estate note investment business note by note over time and with much patience. This kind of business requires a great deal of start up capital, so make sure that you have the cash that you need or a way to get it, and be prepared with a fall back plan.
If you choose to hold on to a real estate note for the future value of the money and the potential investment of a regular income from the note, you are creating what is known as real estate cash flow. This form of cash flow is another great way to build up your finances if you can afford to sit on your investment for a much longer period of time.
To build up successful cash flow, you will have to have the large amount of money required to invest in a discounted real estate note for a long period of time. This kind of investment can pay well in the long run, making it worth sitting on your money if you can afford to do so. A real estate cash flow of this kind returns much more than a CD or government bond, and you get monthly payments instead of waiting for a lump sum at the end of the investment. No matter how you choose to invest in real estate notes, they are not an opportunity to be dismissed lightly.
Joshua Geary is the marketer and promoter of http://www.SunwestIRA.com His articles help those nearing retirement learn how to invest in real estate notes with their IRA funds. Visit the Sunwest IRA website to Open A Self Directed IRA Account
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