A Note Professional can loosely be defined as a person whose business it is to purchase or arrange to be purchased a note secured by real estate or other cash flow for their owners (note holders). While that is a technically accurate definition of a note professional, it doesn’t give an accurate description of what a note professional does on a day-to-day basis. Each day is unique and different for a note professional; while this can be an appealing aspect of the note industry as a profession, it can also offer unique challenges or opportunities, depending on the note professional’s skill set. So, just what does a note professional do in a typical day?
There are a number of administrative tasks that are at the core of a well-run note business. A good note professional: Keeps up with local and regional market activity and industry news; researches their active, pending, and closed transactions and reviews the daily follow up of each as necessary; completes, submits, and files paperwork, such as documents, agreements, and records with the proper agencies as necessary; plans and coordinates appointments, phone calls, and meetings with note holders and note investors; develops marketing plans to establish deal flow and creates letters, postcards, fliers, newsletters, internet ads and other promotional materials; responds to incoming emails and phone calls; update websites, social media profiles, and blogs. Many successful note professionals have a virtual or other assistant to assist with the day-to-day activities, allowing the note professional to focus on more direct revenue-generating activities.
Attracting note holders is crucial to a note professional’s success. Some tips to attract new note holders: Market yourself and your business, competition is there and can be fierce. You need to develop your niche on a local and national level and be known as the expert in the type of work you enjoy. This will help differentiate you through effective marketing. Websites, postcards, direct mail, even television and radio spots; billboards, fliers, and blogs are all channels that can be utilized in effective note professional marketing plans.
Lead generation is paramount and what note professionals spend most of their time on. Note professionals generate leads through networking and relationship development. This starts with people you know, such as friends, family, business associates, and so on. There is little that is more valuable to a note professional then a thriving database of note holders and referral sources. Everyone is a potential prospect until you determine they are not. Basically, everyone you meet is a prospective note holder because you don’t know who has a note or who might know of someone with a note or will at some point in the future. A note professional’s day is often consumed by cultivating note holder leads, as well as meeting and following up with potential note sellers and note investors.
Note professionals communicate with and understand the needs of note holders (or whether or not they have a need at all) by demonstrating note market knowledge, marketing abilities, and negotiation skills. They research the current local real estate market activity and comparable properties of the secured subject property to establish a starting point of negotiations in pricing the note holders’ note.
Part of note professional’s duties also includes compiling relevant, accurate and complete information on a one page worksheet for analyzing purposes or to present to other note buyers as well as collecting copies of relevant documentation to create a package for due diligence for themselves or other interested note investors.
Note professionals connect with, interview, understand, and qualify prospective note investors and present the correct opportunities to the correct note buying individual or company; research the note information for potential to determine the correct fit between the note holder, note and note investor; show selected notes to selected investors; communicate and disclose any details of the note or property they learned during their research or while talking to the note holder or other investors; demonstrate negotiation skills, making full and partial offers of purchase on notes.
Note professionals typically work at home and/or in a small office by themselves so from time to time they must get “out of the office” to develop their skills and associate with others in the note industry. Continuing education and gathering with other note professionals is not a requirement but is highly recommended to stay in the know. It is also an opportunity to develop the skills that will keep a note professional at the top of their game or open a door to new opportunities within the local, regional or national market. Continual development is crucial to long-term success of note professionals. Continuing education not only widens their scope of expertise, but it also improves their proficiency, knowledge, and marketability as a note professional.
As you can see a true note professionals day can be ever changing, slow at times and hectic others. In the long run, being a note professional is all worth the effort. Remember success demands action, keep on marketing, it’s going to work! TWITA! (That’s What I’m Talkin’ About!)
Jeff Armstrong of Armstrong Capital has been a note broker and investor specializing in the seller financed note industry since 1991. He can be reached by email at info@armstrongcapital.com. For more updated and current information on how he can help you with your note business, your note investments or to request a quote on a note you currently have visit www.armstrongcapital.com.