ALL ABOUT NOTES
NEWSLETTER – January 2026
Happy New Year! We hope you liked last month’s special NoteExpo25 newsletter and all the exciting updates about the Note industry!
With the New Year, we thought we would dedicate the January Newsletter to efforts necessary to manage your Note, focusing on important annual maintenance items that will help you to grow your investment!
Please read on to learn more about what you should be doing to manage your Note in the New Year!
MONTHLY FOCUS ITEMS
It’s the new year, what should I be doing with my Note?
While you have been enjoying the monthly payments from your borrower over the last year, there are some key maintenance items you need to annually complete to stay compliant and to grow your investment. Here is our annual list of year-end actions
Escrow Accounts for Taxes and Insurance: A Guide for Small Private Lenders
Many private lenders overlook escrow until there’s a problem. Learn how escrowing taxes and insurance can improve borrower performance, reduce risk, and protect your collateral before issues arise.
Can a Servicer help me manage my Note?
Congrats! You sold your home with Seller Financing! Your next big decision is who will be working with your borrower over the term of the loan (self-managed or third part servicer). Most people opt for self-managed to save cost, but I would like to share some great reasons why you should consider a third-party servicer!
BEST PRACTICE TIPS
Send out the 1098
Mortgage interest paid (and escrowed insurance premiums, if applicable) must be reported. If a loan servicer is used, confirm they provided Form 1098 to the borrower.
Verify Taxes are Paid
Annually verify taxes are paid in full, no outstanding penalties or balance are outstanding. Verify tax payment options and timing requirements to ensure compliance to prevent tax liens.
Current borrower contact information
Borrower information can change. Request annual verification and updates to the information on file.
MARKET NEWS * (01/08/26)
Mortgage Rates Stable, Purchase Demand Rising
In the first full week of the new year, mortgage rates remained within a narrow range, hovering close to the 6% mark. The combination of solid economic growth and lower rates has led to improving momentum in for-sale residential demand, with purchase applications up over 20% from a year ago.
- The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.16% as of January 8, 2026, up slightly from last week when it averaged 6.15%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.93%.
- The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.46%, up from last week when it averaged 5.44%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.14%
* Source – Freddie Mac
Our goal with the monthly newsletter is to combine some unique insight, helpful tips and market information in an easy-to-read format to help you with managing your Note investment. We have been working with Note investors for years and hope that this insight is helpful and on point!
We hope you have enjoyed this month’s newsletter and found some interesting items to help you to manage your investment in Notes!
THE PEAK-NOTES TEAM
John Knoblich
Karen Worthington
CONNECT WITH PEAK NOTES
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