A lender funds a loan
The loan is to LJH Investments, LLC, under a signed agreement.
Private lending, secured by real estate
Lending on real estate, explained plainly.
I buy mortgage notes and work with private lenders. Here's how it works, how a lender is secured, and what can go wrong. No pressure, no jargon.
All investing has risk, including loss of principal.
What protects your money
Illustration- Home value
- $150,000
- Your money in the deal
- $85,000
- Cushion
- $65,000
My track record
300+Mortgage notes bought
$3.5M+Lender capital placed
0Missed lender payments
20Years in real estate
Past results don't guarantee future results.
How your money works
Here's exactly where your money goes.
YouYour loan
LJH InvestmentsOwes you, in writing
First mortgage notesAssigned to you, recorded
Real estateBehind every note
Your loan is secured
A collateral assignment of specific first mortgage notes is recorded with the county. You get copies.
Borrowers pay a servicer
Licensed third-party servicers collect the payments on those notes, not me.
The lender is paid
On the schedule in the signed agreement. Every payment shows up in the investor portal.
See exactly how your loan is securedWhat I'll show you before you lend
Here's what I handle.
Most people want real estate in their portfolio. Few want the work that comes with it.
I find the deals
I source notes through my network of sellers, brokers, and referral partners. You don't chase leads or sit through pitches.
I grade every note
Every deal goes through Person, Property, Paperwork before money moves. Most deals don't make the cut.
I handle the problems
A licensed servicer collects the payments. If a borrower falls behind, I work out a plan. You don't take the phone call.
First-lien real estate backs every note I buy. That's a backstop, not a guarantee.
What protects a lender
Why lenders choose LJH.
Documents before money
You review the loan papers and the notes behind your loan with your own attorney before you commit a dollar.
Same standards for my own money
My own self-directed IRA buys notes using the same buy box I use for lender deals. It's kept completely separate from lender money.
Secured by recorded collateral
Your loan is tied to specific first mortgage notes through a collateral assignment recorded with the county. My attorney drafts the documents. You review them with yours.
Licensed third-party servicing
Borrower payments are collected by licensed third-party servicers, not by me. Clean records, no matter what.
Protected if something happens to me
I carry a life insurance policy set up to pay my lenders back. Your money doesn't depend on me being here.
IRA money welcome
Lend from a self-directed IRA. I work with your custodian on the paperwork.
From my lenders
In their words.
Honestly, it's been one of the easiest investments I've made. I don't have to manage tenants, deal with repairs, or worry about the day-to-day headaches that come with owning property. I especially love getting my quarterly payments. It's simple, predictable, and I've been extremely happy with the experience.
I love it. I'm extremely happy with how everything has worked out. It's been a great experience, and I'd absolutely do it again.
Individual experiences. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
Your investor portal
Log in anytime. See exactly where your money stands.
Every lender gets a private, secure login to my investor portal. No waiting on emails or digging through spreadsheets.
- Distributions. Every quarterly payment, with dates and references.
- Documents. Your signed agreements, tax forms, and updates in one place.
- Notes. The loans behind your money.
- Messages. Ask me a question right from the portal.
- Two-factor sign-in. A second lock on your account.
Lender
Sample Lender
| Date | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 15 | Quarterly interest | Paid |
| Apr 15 | Quarterly interest | Paid |
| Jan 15 | Quarterly interest | Paid |
| Oct 15 | Quarterly interest | Paid |
Who lends with me
Built for busy people with capital.
Pick the one that sounds like you.
You earn well. You don't have time.
Your practice takes everything you've got. Lending on notes puts your money behind real estate. I find, grade, and oversee the deals. You get a quarterly update.
Talk with LarryCash sitting idle is losing ground.
Your extra cash doesn't have to sit in a bank or ride the stock market. Lending on first mortgage notes puts it behind real estate, with set terms you know going in.
Talk with LarryYour IRA can do more than stocks.
A self-directed IRA can lend on mortgage notes. Payments flow back into your IRA, tax-deferred in a traditional IRA or tax-free in a Roth if you meet the rules. I work with your custodian on the paperwork.
Talk with LarryYou know values. Earn from the lending side.
You already know what a house is worth and how deals fall apart. Lending on notes uses that knowledge without another listing, showing, or closing on your plate.
Talk with LarryKeep real estate. Lose the tenants.
You know the 2 a.m. calls and the turnovers. As a lender, the borrower takes care of the house. You stay in real estate without the repairs.
Talk with LarryYou read documents for a living. Read mine.
You'll appreciate a deal that holds up on paper. Every lender gets attorney-drafted documents to review, and licensed third-party servicers keep the records clean.
Talk with LarryDiversify away from your equity.
If most of your wealth rides on stock and the market, real estate debt is a different engine. Set terms, real collateral, and someone else doing the work.
Talk with LarrySteady checks without Wall Street swings.
You want income you can plan around. Notes are backed by real estate and pay on a schedule. I wrote Mailbox Money Retirement for exactly this.
Talk with LarryMeet Larry Hoffman
I was a landlord. Now I'd rather own the mortgage.
I've invested in real estate since 2006. I spent years on the landlord side: tenants, repairs, turnovers. Today I buy first mortgage notes instead. The borrower takes care of the house. I focus on the loan.
I have an engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati, so I trust documents over pitches. I wrote Mailbox Money Retirement, host the In The Know podcast, and teach note investing every week.
Read my storyHow I grade a deal
Person. Property. Paperwork.
A good spreadsheet is not enough. Every note I look at goes through the same three checks.
Person
Who is the borrower? What's their payment history? Can they keep paying?
Property
What's it worth? What shape is it in? Are taxes and insurance current?
Paperwork
Is the title clean? Is it a first lien? Are the assignments and servicing records in order?
Free guide, 12 pages
The Private Lender's Guide to Lending on Mortgage Notes
Five questions to ask before you lend to any note investor. Including me.
- The 5 questions to ask, and what a good answer sounds like
- How your loan is secured, strongest to weakest
- A worked example of how one bad valuation turns a profit into a loss
- A document checklist and 12 red flags
- A printable scorecard to bring to any call
Working together
It starts with a conversation, not a commitment.
We talk
Tell me your goals, time frame, and how involved you want to be. We'll both know fast if it's a fit.
You review
I walk you through a real deal and the documents. Your attorney or CPA reviews the terms. Ask me anything.
I do the work
Once you're in, I find, buy, and oversee the notes. You get updates on how things are going.
How I underwrite
See how I protect lender money.
Numbers start the conversation. The documents decide it. Here's how I think through deals that cross my desk. Names and addresses are left out.
The $41,000 mobile home note
Getting the offer accepted was the easy part. Here's what I check before I close.
For lenders: why a mobile home needs a bigger cushion.
Read the breakdownStill paying after the loan matured
The borrower pays every month. The loan term ran out. Here's why that matters.
For lenders: why "paying" isn't the same as "safe."
Read the breakdownThe book
Mailbox Money Retirement
Turn IOUs into income you can count on.
I wrote this for people who want steady checks backed by real estate, without riding the stock market. It covers how notes work, where the risks are, and how to use them for retirement income.
Stop worrying about Wall Street. Start living on your terms.
Get it on AmazonStraight answers
Questions lenders ask me.
Am I buying a note or lending to LJH?
You're lending to LJH. You get a promissory note from LJH Investments, LLC that sets your amount, rate, and term. Your loan is secured by specific first mortgage notes I buy.
What secures my money?
Specific first mortgage notes, through a collateral assignment recorded with the county. That ties your loan to real notes and puts your interest on public record. You get a copy of everything.
What are the terms?
Every loan has its own signed agreement that sets the amount, the length, and the payment schedule. We go over all of it on a call, after we know each other. You can lend from cash or a self-directed IRA.
What if something happens to you?
I carry a life insurance policy set up to pay my lenders back.
What if a borrower stops paying?
It happens. I plan for it. Every deal gets reviewed for servicing, reserves, workout options, and exit paths before I buy. We'll talk through how that affects you.
How long is my money in?
Your agreement sets the exact term. Only lend money you won't need before it matures.
Are returns guaranteed?
No. Be careful with anyone who tells you theirs are. Real estate behind a note lowers the risk. It doesn't remove it.