Nobody told me I needed 12 people to close one note deal.

I found out the hard way.

After I locked up my first note I was running around trying to find everyone I needed while the clock was already ticking. No credit coach. No private lender ready to move. No attorney who actually knew what a note was. No servicer set up to collect my payments. No title company that had closed a note transaction before.

Same deal I posted about last week. The Michigan property. What I did not tell you was everything happening behind the scenes trying to get the right people in place.

Never again.

So here are the 12 people you need to have locked in BEFORE your first deal. Not after.

1. Credit Coach — gets your credit right so lenders take you seriously and you can actually access capital to fund deals.

2. Private Money Lender — the person who funds your deal when the bank says no. No capital means no closing.

3. Real Estate Attorney — notes have legal complexity a regular attorney will completely miss. You need someone who specifically understands note transactions, assignments, and foreclosure.

4. Loan Servicer — after you close someone has to collect payments from the borrower, handle escrow, and stay federally compliant. That is your servicer.

5. Title Company — not just any title company. One that has actually closed note transactions before. The wrong one will slow everything down or miss something that costs you.

6. BPO Agent — gives you a fast accurate property valuation so you know exactly what the collateral behind the note is worth before you buy it.

7. Asset Manager — when a note goes non performing you need a specialist in workouts, loss mitigation, and getting the asset resolved as fast as possible.

8. Insurance Agent — the moment you take possession of a property through foreclosure you need coverage immediately. Force placed insurance and landlord policies are what protect you.

9. Contractor — needs to walk a property fast and give you an accurate rehab number. That number affects every single decision you make on a distressed deal.

10. Property Manager — specifically one who handles Section 8 and tenant placement. When you convert a foreclosed property into a rental you need someone ready so you are not playing landlord yourself.

11. CPA — note investing has unique tax implications that a regular accountant will not understand. Interest income, capital gains, entity structure. You need one who works with real estate investors specifically.

12. Skip Tracer — when a borrower on a non performing note goes completely dark a skip tracer finds them. You cannot resolve a situation with someone you cannot locate.

This list will save you more time, money, and headaches than anything else in this industry.

If you are one of these professionals and you work with note investors drop your specialty and location in the comments below. Someone in here is going to need you very soon.

And if you are new to notes screenshot this right now. Build your team before your first deal. Not after. Trust me on that one.

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Nobody told me I needed 12 people to close one note deal.