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Someone owes you money under a signed promissory note and pays you over time. If the note is secured by property or other collateral, you may be able to sell it for a lump sum today. Here’s how it works and what note buyers need to see.
The example on the right shows how it works: the payments still owed to you become one lump sum at closing. Your borrower keeps the same terms and simply pays the new holder.
A promissory note is a written promise to repay a debt on stated terms: the amount, the interest rate, the payment schedule and what happens if payments stop. It’s the core document behind every private loan, whether the money came from selling a house, a business, a vehicle or from a personal loan.
On its own, a promissory note is a promise. What makes it valuable to a note buyer is what secures it: a mortgage or deed of trust on real estate, a security agreement on business assets, or a lien on a titled vehicle or equipment.
| Secured note | Unsecured note | |
|---|---|---|
| Backed by | Real estate, business assets or titled property | Only the borrower’s promise |
| If payments stop | The holder can enforce against the collateral | The holder can only sue for the debt |
| Can it be sold? | Often, depending on terms and history | Rarely; few buyers purchase unsecured personal notes |
We focus on secured notes. If your note isn’t secured, call us anyway; we’ll tell you honestly whether there’s a path.
Notes from owner-financed homes, land and rentals, backed by a recorded mortgage or deed of trust.
Notes from selling a business, secured by its assets and often a personal guaranty.
Notes secured by income-producing buildings and land.
Installment contracts where the seller keeps title until the buyer pays in full.
Notes secured by titled equipment or vehicles, usually as part of a business sale.
Sell a set number of upcoming payments and keep the rest of the note.
What it’s for, what secures it, the balance, rate, payment and how many payments have been made.
We tell you whether the note fits and quote a full or partial purchase.
We review documents, the collateral and the payer’s credit with permission.
The note and the lien are assigned through a title or escrow company and you’re paid.
Free, no-obligation quote. Most people only need the basic terms to start.
A note buyer pays today for money that arrives over years, and takes on the chance that some of it never arrives. So the price depends on two things: how much and how soon you’re paid (the balance, rate, payment and term), and how certain those payments are (the collateral, the payer and the history).
That’s why two notes with the same balance can receive very different offers, and why a partial purchase sometimes works better for a newer note.
Parents sell a house to a child on terms, or one sibling buys out another with a note. These family notes can sometimes be sold, but only if they’re documented like any other loan: a signed note with clear terms, a recorded lien on the property, and a record of payments. If payments have been informal or skipped, it’s best to clean that up with your attorney before asking for a quote.
When a promissory note is sold, the holder signs it over to the buyer, usually with an endorsement or a separate page called an allonge, and signs an assignment of the mortgage, deed of trust or security interest, which is then recorded. The payer receives a letter saying where to send payments. A title or escrow company typically handles the documents and the funds so both sides are protected.
| Sell the whole note | Sell part of the payments | Keep collecting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash now | One lump sum for all remaining payments | A lump sum for a set number of payments | None; you receive payments over time |
| After that | You’re done collecting | Payments come back to you once the sold ones are paid | You keep collecting until payoff |
| Risk of non-payment | Moves to the note buyer | Shared: the buyer carries the sold payments | Stays with you |
| Fits you if | You want out completely or have a better use for all the money | You need a set amount now and want long-term income | The payer is reliable and you don’t need cash |
Not sure? Ask for a full and a partial quote at the same time and compare them side by side.
Enter the note’s terms to see the balance still owed, payments left, and how a partial sale would work.
This calculator only does the math on your note’s terms. It is not an offer or a price; what a note sells for depends on the review described on this page.
Owner-financed homes, land and small rentals.
Seller financing from the sale of a business or equipment.
Notes secured by retail, office, industrial and multifamily property.
Contracts for deed and installment land contracts.
For investors who want to buy performing notes.
Unsecured personal notes are very hard to sell. If the loan is secured by real estate or titled property, the chances are much better. Call us and we’ll tell you honestly.
The promissory note itself usually isn’t recorded, but the mortgage, deed of trust or lien that secures it should be. That recorded lien is what gives the note buyer protection.
It depends on the terms, collateral, payment history and the payer’s credit. Request a free quote with the basic terms to get a number.
Yes. A partial purchase buys a set number of payments and the rest come back to you.
A brand-new note can sometimes be sold, but the collateral and the payer’s strength carry more weight. A partial purchase is often the better fit.
Yes, free and with no obligation.
This is the form the “Get my cash offer” buttons lead to. Fill in what you know about your note; you don’t need every detail to start. A note specialist reviews it and calls you with a written offer. No cost, no obligation.
Want to read more first? See how the note selling process works or our FAQ.
