Understanding – What Is Trust Deed Investing?

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Understanding – What Is Trust Deed Investing?

What Is Trust Deed Investing?


Investing in deeds of trustis a little known but very effective investment strategy for real estate investors. With high rates of return and real collateral, investing in trust deeds is an easy, and

generally low risk way to earn money.

In the United States, there are two types of real estate transactions, true mortgages and deeds of trust sale. In a true mortgage sale, there are two parties involved, the bank or lender, and the borrower. The borrower is given the deed to the property he/she is purchasing and the lender has very little security or collateral. A second form of real estate investing is called trust deed investing. This type of investing differs from a true mortgage in that there are always three parties involved, the bank or lender, the borrower and a third party who is investing his/her personal capital in the deed of trust. For the savvy investor, investing in deeds of trust can be an opportunity to earn high interest rates with low investment risk.
Very few investors know about this investment opportunity related to investing in deeds of trust in real estate transactions. During trust deed investing, an investor acts as a third party during a home purchase transaction. The bank loans the money, the borrower purchases the property and repays the loan, and the investor, or trustee holds the deed to the property. The trustee holds the legal title to the property and the borrower holds the equitable title to the property. The trustee holds the deed as security to ensure the repayment of the debt to the lending bank and the bank pays the trustee interest for this service.
Trust deed investing boasts high rates of returns on investment and can fit almost any budget. An investor typically earns anywhere between 7% and 12% on trust deed investments. This is significantly more than any savings account and most stock options. In addition, investing in trust deedsis generally considered to be a fairly safe investment strategy because the investment is backed by actual real estate collateral. An investor can literally drive by and see his/her investment. The trustee can also help insure his/her investment in trust deeds by having property appraisals and working with a licensed broker for the transaction. Another way to secure the investment is to invest only in the first position in the deed of trust. The first position ensures that this trustee will be paid first in the event of a default.

Benefits of Trust Deed Investing For the Lender

As discussed above, in a true mortgage, the borrower holds the deed to the property. If the borrower defaults, this can become messy for the lender. Since the borrower holds the deed, the lender actually has to take judicial action against the borrower the borrower defaults. The lender sues the borrower for the deed to the property. As with any legal action, this takes time and costs money. There is also always the risk that the court will side with the borrower, leaving the lender with no recourse and a very large investment lost. Once the lender has the deed and legally owns the property, the lender sells it, usually for a loss, causing the lender to spend money twice. Once on the law suit, and once in the form of unloading a foreclosure property.
In a trust deed investment, the trustee holds the deed to the property. The trustee has invested a certain amount of money to hold the deed and the lender pays the trustee interest for this service. In the case of trust deed investing, if the borrower defaults on their loan, the trustee sells the property on behalf of the lender. The lender does not have to sue the borrower or wait for a judge to make decisions about who has the right to sell the property. There is also no risk that a judge could side with the borrower. The sale is generally quicker and results in a smaller net loss for the lender. After the sale, the trustee retains his/her initial investment as long as the property was not sold for a loss. The lender also gets their investment back.
Investing in deeds of trust is usually a win/win situation for the lender and trustee. The trustee earns interest while the lender protects their collateral.

If you are interested in learning more about trust deed investing, contact a local broker to find out different options in your state. A broker can help you navigate the trust deed world to find the right investment for your budget. A broker will also have a deeper understanding of specific laws and regulations in your state. Once you a ready to take the plunge, investing in trust deeds can be a very secure investment strategy to help grow your personal wealth.
Level 4 Funding LLC
23335 N 18th Drive Suite 120
Phoenix AZ 85027
623-582-4444

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