Hey Reader,
14 months....
That's how long Marcus had been "researching notes" before he picked up the phone and called me a few weeks ago.
He could explain yield. Seasoning. LTV. Performing versus non-performing. Better than most people who actually own notes.
He had bought zero.
When I asked why, he said the thing I've heard a hundred times.
"I just want to make sure I understand everything first."
I've been there. So this week, I'm breaking down the term that scares most investors away, and the structure that makes it one of the best deals in the business.
Let's get into it.
Notes Concept🧠
The term is balloon payment.
A borrower takes out a loan that's spread over 30 years on paper. But the note has a 5-year balloon. They make normal monthly payments for 5 years. Then the entire remaining balance comes due at once.
Big lump sum. End of the road.
Why would anyone sign up for that?
Because it works for both sides.
For the borrower: Lower monthly payments now. Time to refinance, sell, or pay it off before the balloon hits.
For the note investor: Monthly cash flow plus a lump sum at the end. Your capital comes back in 2 or 5 years. Not 30.
That's the whole concept.
Risk and Watch Outs ⚠️
Balloon notes work. Here are 4 things to watch out for:
1. Not being in a senior secured position. If you're not in first lien, you're standing in line behind someone else when things go wrong. Senior position is non-negotiable.
2. The borrower can't refinance at the balloon date. Real equity gives them options. Sell, refinance, bring cash to the table. Without equity, they have nothing.
3. The property loses value before the balloon. Fund under 75% LTV. Start low. Stay low.
4. Sloppy paperwork. A note is only as strong as the document behind it. Always use a real estate attorney.
Respect these four. The structure works.
Real World Experience💰
Here's a deal structure I funded back in 2024
- $30,000 deployed from my SDIRA
- First position lien
- 12% fixed interest
- Less than 75% LTV
- Interest-only payments for 6 months
- Paid in full at month 6
Six months later, $31,800 was back in my SDIRA. Tax-free.
Then I deployed it again.
That same $30,000 has now done this twice: 2 deals, 2 payoffs, 2 payments of interest stacked on top of each other.
All inside the same retirement account that most people leave parked in an index fund, hoping the market cooperates.
A balloon is not a risk. A balloon is a deadline.
The deadline tells me when my money comes back. The LTV tells me my money is safe in the meantime.
That's the whole evaluation.
Mindset Shift 🔄
Back to Marcus.
He's been researching for 14 months while his retirement account sits in an index fund earning whatever the market decides to give him this quarter.
Here's what most people don't realize. You can do exactly what I did inside a Self-Directed IRA. Same deal. Same structure. Same monthly interest. But the income grows tax-deferred or tax-free, depending on the account type.
The $1,800 I earned hit my SDIRA tax-free.
Then I redeployed it. Tax-free again.
Most people will never hear this from their financial advisor. Their advisor doesn't get paid when you move money out.
I don't have that conflict.
The framework is simple.
Senior secured position. LTV under 75%. Clean paperwork. Real exit plan.
That's the whole evaluation.
You already know enough to take the first step.
Take it.
Step one: open the account.
You can't lend from your retirement money until your retirement money lives in an account that allows it. A traditional 401K or IRA won't let you do this. A Self-Directed IRA will.
The custodian I personally use is Directed IRA. They handle the paperwork, the compliance, and the asset titling so your retirement money can actually go to work.
Educational content only. Personal investment examples are shared for illustration and do not constitute investment, tax, legal, or financial advice, or an offer to sell securities. Past performance does not predict future results. Self-Directed IRA strategies have tax and regulatory implications. Consult a qualified attorney, CPA, and licensed financial professional before making investment decisions. Affiliate disclosure: I'm a partner of Directed IRA. I may receive a referral fee if you open an account through my link, at no extra cost to you. I use them myself.