Selling mortgage notes

Documents to sell a note: the checklist

Updated 2026-10-19

Most note buyers will ask for the signed note, the recorded mortgage, deed of trust or land contract, any assignments, a payment history, and the current terms. Having these ready before you request offers makes the review faster and the offers firmer.

Get a no-obligation note review

Print this page or keep it open while you gather papers. You don't need everything to request a review. Missing items are common and can often be replaced, but the more you have, the better.

The core documents

The promissory note. The signed original if you have it, plus a copy. Buyers usually need the original at closing.
The security instrument. The mortgage, deed of trust, or land contract, with its recording information from the county.
Any prior assignments or allonges. If the note changed hands before you, every link in that chain.
Payment history. A ledger, bank deposit records, or a servicer report showing dates and amounts.
Current balance and terms. Rate, payment, payments remaining, any balloon date and amount.

About the property or collateral

The settlement or closing statement from the original sale (shows the price and down payment).
Title insurance policy, if one was issued.
Proof of property insurance naming you as the lender or loss payee, if available.
Property tax status: are taxes current?
For business notes: the purchase agreement, security agreement, UCC-1 filing, and any personal guarantee.

What NOT to send in a first request

Social Security numbers (yours or the borrower's)
Bank account or card numbers
Full loan files or scans of IDs

Those may be needed later, through a secure process, if you decide to move forward with a specific buyer.

If something is missing

Lost original note: this is common. A lost note affidavit may be used, though some buyers will adjust the price or pass.
No recording information: the county recorder's office (or its website) can usually look it up by name or address.
No payment records: rebuild a ledger from your bank statements.

Questions

Do I need the original note to sell?

Buyers generally want the original at closing, because the original is the legal instrument. If it's lost, a lost note affidavit is sometimes accepted, often at a lower price.

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