The Note Investor Podcast will guide you through the ups and downs of note investing, and teach you about all of the nitty gritty details of the business that other people won't talk about . Your host, Dan Deppen is a former aerospace engineer and product manager who transitioned away from cubicle life to full time note investing in 2018. Our website is www.fusionnotes.com, where you can subscribe to this podcast, comment, and find links to other information on note investing.
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September 8, 2026Episode 15026 min
Back office functions for seller finance lenders
Banks have underwriting departments, compliance teams, and doc prep staff. When you originate a seller finance loan, all of those jobs still have to get done. You just do not have anyone doing them. I talk through which back office functions you can rent, how to charge the borrower for them, and why the loans people rush through are the ones they can never sell. Note training: www.notelaunchpad.com Note buying: www.fusionnotes.com Note origination and underwriting: www.calltheunderwriter.com Mortgage broker / DSCR servicers in TX, FL and CO: www.callthemortgageguy.com
July 28, 2026Episode 14923 min
How I Would Get Started in Note Investing Today
If I were starting over as a note investor today, this is the approach I'd take. I walk through the entire process—from getting training and finding deals to defining your goals, filtering and pricing loans, completing due diligence, and closing your first deal. I also cover common mistakes that keep new investors stuck and how to build a repeatable process that improves with every loan you buy. Note training: www.notelaunchpad.com Note buying: www.fusionnotes.com Note origination and underwriting: www.calltheunderwriter.com Mortgage broker / DSCR servicers in TX, FL and CO: www.callthemortgageguy.com
July 14, 2026Episode 14826 min
How to verify income for self-employed borrowers
Most seller finance borrowers are self-employed, and that's where a lot of originators get tripped up. In this episode I walk through how we actually verify self-employed income at Call The Underwriter, why it matters for Dodd-Frank compliance and your own protection, and the system we use to get through it fast. I cover why W-2 and fixed-income borrowers are easy, why tax returns usually understate self-employed income, and why 12 complete business bank statements are the workhorse document. I also get into the expense ratio approach for turning gross deposits into usable income, the account and commingling problems we run into constantly, and what borrower behavior tells you before you ever see the file. Plus the story of a loan with a mystery dog kennel that supposedly made $30k in a single month. If you originate or buy seller finance notes, this one will clear up a lot of confusion around documenting income that doesn't come with a pay stub. Questions? Drop them in the comments or email dan at calltheunderwriter.com. For more info on underwriting seller finance loans or get started on a deal go to www.calltheunderwriter.com
June 30, 2026Episode 14736 min
Wraps, Lease Options & Slow Flips: A Creative Finance Deep Dive with Philip Louden
Dan sits down with Philip Louden — former backpacker, digital nomad, and reluctant wholesaler — who found his calling in seller finance after realizing he was just "dropshipping houses." After a 30-year Kansas City mentor showed him the power of creative finance, Philip went on to originate over 70 deals and build the Wrap Academy community around a simple philosophy: prosperous, peaceful, passive portfolios. In this episode, they cover: Why Philip walked away from a wholesaling operation doing 6 deals a month — and what it taught him about building businesses you actually want to live in How he structures 10-year lease options, wraps, and slow flips — and when each one makes sense The slow flip model: buying $20–30K properties in small markets and seller financing them to buyers who can't even rent for that price Finding buyers through unconventional channels (including a $75K down payment from Craigslist) Dan's note buying box — from 10-11% IRA-quality performers to 30-40% non-performing workouts — and how hypothecation creates spread Why the seller finance note market has a supply-demand equation you won't find anywhere else in real estate Connect with Philip: Wrap Academy: https://wrapacademy.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phil_louden/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-louden Call The Underwriter Call The Underwriting prescreening guide: https://calltheunderwriter.com/prescreen/ Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call , every Thursday at 12 ET
June 23, 2026Episode 14624 min
Note Partials 101: Structure, Pricing, and What Happens If a Loan Defaults
In this episode of the Seller Finance and Creative Deals Podcast, Dan Deppen breaks down partials, one of the most talked about but least understood tools in note investing. Dan explains what a partial actually is (selling a defined chunk of future loan payments at a set rate of return), walks through a real numbers example on a $30K land contract, and covers why partials can be a win for both sides of the deal. Topics covered include why partials only work on performing loans, how sellers use them to recapitalize and scale without giving up the entire note, why buyers like the lower risk of front-end payments and the ability to get exposure to note investing with less capital, how to find partial buyers through your network rather than open marketplaces, typical interest rates sellers offer buyers, key structural decisions like who holds servicing and whether to sell full or fractional payments, and how defaults are typically handled when a partial is in place. Dan also shares an update on his Oklahoma City note portfolio acquisition and the current Note Accelerator cohort. Want to learn more about note investing, seller finance, or creative real estate deals? Check out Fusion Notes for coaching and courses, (www.fusionnotes.com) and Call The Underwriter (www.calltheunderwriter.com,) for flat-fee seller finance compliance and origination help. Note buying: www.fusionnotes.com Note origination and underwriting: www.calltheunderwriter.com Mortgage broker / DSCR servicers in TX, FL and CO: www.callthemortgageguy.com
April 21, 2026Episode 14531 min
How to Find Seller Finance Buyers
In the latest episode, Dan covers: ✅ How to structure your listing language to attract qualified buyers from the start ("seller financing available for deserving borrowers with a large down payment" works wonders) ✅ The best DIY platforms for finding seller finance buyers — Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are still producing results ✅ How to find a great REO-specialist agent, even in markets you've never worked before ✅ Why pre-screening takes just 5-10 minutes and filters out 95%+ of problem borrowers before you go under contract ✅ A real deal breakdown: Dan's own recent Michigan REO — listed, 6 offers received, and closed in about two weeks with an 18% down payment and a 677 FICO borrower Dan also shares updates from his note portfolio, including a messy Wisconsin bankruptcy situation, a high-stakes California non-performing note, and news about the latest Note Accelerator cohort. This episode is a must-listen if you've ever found yourself stuck with a bad borrower — or if you want to make sure you never do. Call The Underwriting prescreening guide: https://calltheunderwriter.com/prescreen/ Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call , every Thursday at 12 ET
April 7, 2026Episode 14433 min
2025 Seller Financing Market Report with Fred & Tracy Rewey
Fred and Tracy Rewey share their 2025 seller financing market data With $29.5 billion in new notes created and home sales at a 30-year low, the big story is resilience. They cover LTV trends, top states, the mom-and-pop vs. professional note creator breakdown, the impact of ITIN lending changes, and their outlook for 2026. Get the seller finance report: https://noteinvestor.com/notes-101/seller-financing-2025-industry-report/ Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call , every Thursday at 12 ET
March 23, 2026Episode 14323 min
Insights from SquadUp Summit
In this episode, Dan Deppen breaks down the biggest takeaways from the 2026 Squad Up Summit—one of the largest real estate investing conferences in the country. With over 2,700 attendees and insights from top entrepreneurs, this recap covers what's actually working right now in creative finance and real estate investing. You'll learn how investors are adapting to changing market conditions, where new opportunities are emerging, and how tools like AI are beginning to transform underwriting, operations, and deal flow. Dan also shares real-world insights from his own business, including scaling Call The Underwriter, buying notes, and evaluating new opportunities like tax overages. What You'll Learn: How to adapt your investing strategy to shifting market conditions The rise of AI agents in real estate and underwriting Why non-QM lending and seller finance are growing What tax overages are and how investors are monetizing them Key business principles: lead generation, underwriting, funding, management, and scaling Hiring lessons and how to avoid costly team mistakes Why some strategies (like Airbnb) are struggling—and what's replacing them Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & overview of Squad Up Summit 02:00 – Key speakers and major themes 04:00 – AI in real estate (agents, automation, bookkeeping) 07:00 – Building scalable systems (including CTU chatbot) 08:30 – Tax overages explained (real example) 14:00 – Emerging strategies: RV parks, co-living, affordability 15:00 – The 5-step framework for building a real estate business 17:00 – Adapting to market conditions (non-QM, seller finance) 18:30 – Investor mindset mistakes (self-imposed limits) 20:00 – Hiring and scaling lessons 22:00 – Final takeaways & current deals Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call , every Thursday at 12 ET
January 27, 2026Episode 14225 min
Common Seller Finance Mistakes
In this episode of the Seller Finance and Creative Deals Podcast, Dan Deppen shares additional seller finance mistakes that didn't make the cut in his Cash Flow Expo session. He breaks down why "loose standards" and trying to be overly accommodating can backfire for both lender and borrower, how to work with an RMLO the right way (and why you don't want them telling you what you want to hear), and the red flags that show up when borrowers stall on documentation. Dan also explains why "no money in the deal" is fine—until you have no reserves—and why professional operators prioritize borrower quality, process discipline, and risk management. Register for Cash Flow Expo , Feb 5-7 Note Accelerator , starts mid Febrary Call The Underwriter Register for the weekly Call The Underwriter onboarding call , every Thursday at 12 ET
December 23, 2025Episode 14152 min
Non-QM Loan Deep Dive, with Steve Johnson
Dan and Steve discussed the launch of "Call the Mortgage Guy," an extension of "Call the Underwriter" that focuses on non-QM loans. Steve explained that non-QM loans cater to borrowers who don't meet traditional mortgage criteria, such as self-employed individuals and those with non-traditional income, similar to seller finance borrowers. Dan noted the growing popularity of non-QM loans, which have increased from 1-2% to over 8% of the mortgage market in the last 2 years, as lenders target underserved markets. The expansion into mortgage brokering, enabled by mortgage licensing in states like Colorado, Texas, and Florida, aims to address this growing demand. For more info on underwriting seller finance loans or get started on a deal go to www.calltheunderwriter.com For for non-QM loans in TX, FL and CO go to www.callthemortgageguy.com
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