Hello everybody,
I am new to this site and ready to get started investing. I have done some training and read several books and feel like I’m ready.
I am currently employed full time as a mortgage loan officer and I tend to get a good amount of leads. People who are in a bad spot, facing foreclosure, and don’t qualify for a loan. I can think of a few people right now that would probably be willing to sell their home well below market value. My problem is that I would feel a little uncomfortable asking if they want to sell their home after we worked so hard to find a loan and in some cases already had an appriasal done.
I was basically wondering if there was a way to give the investor all their information including their phone number and telling my customer that someone will be contacting them with a possible solution. Instead of having my customers sign a contract, then giving it to an investor. Could I just give them their info and still get paid. Do I have to actually assign a contract or can the investor and I have our own contract to get paid for the information given if it amounts to a profit.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Having leads is a great thing. I do agree with your conflict of interest and you are correct not personally trying to buy their house. However, if they are asking for help to find a buyer you should find a couple of investors who pay referal fees on deals. Typically investors will pay $500 to $1000 for a lead. I know of several investors who pay for leads, what area are you in?
Thanks for your reply. I am in Sacramento, CA.
Another quick question. Is there a way a could get more than $500-$1,000 if the potential profit is high. For example, I have lead right now that would most likely sell her home for somewhere around $800,000 and her home is easily worth $1,200,000. I know I’m really not doing any work but wouldn’t it make sense that I get a little more when the profits are several thousand dollars?
Try asking for 1% of the purchase price.
The worst that could happen is they decline
I am also a full time loan officer and I also have felt the same way; however I have to the conclusion that by buying their house you are helping your clients. As long as you have tried your hardest to get them approved for a loan then it is by no means unethical to offer to buy their house. As a matter of fact, if you tell your client up front that if worse comes to worse and they can’t get qualified for a loan that you offer other solutions (i.e. sub2, etc). This may actually help them to feel more comfortable working with you because they know that no matter what, they will have some exit option. We have great lead sources and it would be a shame to not take advantage of them. Thats my two cents anyway.
Jesse
If you are a loan officer, you may get a finder’s fee for handing the deal over to an investor. But should you want to contract with the seller, there are many ways to do it that are ethical and safe for both of you. If you do it right, you may then assign your contract over to an investor.
If the owner feels that it would be better for him to sell, but time and financial constraints are prohibitive, you, as a loan officer may have the answer for him. You can help him walk away with the lion’s share of his equity up front without going through the time and expense of escrow by doing an interest only refi, keeping him on title and then handing the deal over to an investor who will take out a lease/ option, contract to make the monthly payments and buy the house later. This turns owner’s home into an asset rather than a liability and the appreciation will be good for the investor when he does buy and sell to someone else.
The seller gets close to his asking price in this scenario.
And you, the mortgager gets the refi and then the costs to close when the invetor opts to buy.
Everybody wins.
Carol B.