As an investor you have many options when it comes to where you put your money. Day after day whether you are driving to work or watching TV, you’ll see advertisements telling you to invest in gold, stocks and mutual funds. And because of those ads, people have become familiar with those investments.

But fewer people are familiar with trust deed investing, although it’s a form of investing that is probably as old as money itself. Simply put, trust deed investing is investing in loans that are secured/collateralized by real estate. At Ignite Funding, we specialize in Trust Deeds, primarily in the western United States.

Trust Deeds and Mortgages

A loan made via a Trust Deed is very similar to a mortgage. The basic difference is that there are three parties in a trust deed: the borrower, the lender and the trustee. The trustee holds the deed while the loan is being paid. Also, there is a signed promissory “note” that defines all the terms of the loan. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the trustee starts the foreclosure process. In a mortgage, the lender has to go to court to get the foreclosure going.

Trust deed investing is so popular because it pays a comparably high rate of return and the investments are secured by real estate. Further, once the loan has been made, the rate of return associated with the Trust Deed doesn’t change. For example, you might invest in a Trust Deed that has a term of 12 months. You would receive payments each month for the amount of interest the borrower is being charged.

Real Estate as Collateral

Investing in Trust Deeds essentially means you are loaning your money against collateral. The collateral – real estate/land, in this case, – serves to protect the lender’s investment. This leads us to one of the most important considerations in trust deed investing: the true value of the collateral.

It’s very important that trust deed investors consider the size of the loan they are making in relationship to the real estate collateralizing the loan. This is one reason why Ignite Funding uses a detailed underwriting process to help justify the value of the property, evaluate each piece of collateral at hand and ensure the borrower is accountable for what they are borrowing.

Loan terms

At Ignite Funding, we have a $10,000 minimum investment amount and loans are available for terms that are as short as 6 months or as long as 24. Investors also have the option to choose from an assortment of loans and will work with a dedicated Business Development Rep to ensure they understand and are informed about their investment.

DUe Diligence

Before choosing a company to invest with, you should always do research on the company. As with all investments there are inherent risks. It is highly recommended that consideration and proper due diligence be given to the company you are entrusting with managing your real estate portfolio. Ignite Funding is licensed with the Nevada Department of Business and Industry Division of Mortgage Lending as a Mortgage Broker. In California, Ignite Funding is licensed with the California Department of Business Oversight as a Finance Lender and Broker. Additionally, Ignite Funding is an Accredited Member of the Southern Nevada Better Business Bureau and an active member of the American Association of Private Lenders. This is just some of the criteria to consider when considering an investment in trust deeds.