On this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene sits down with Scott Carson, known throughout the industry as "The Note Guy", to explore one of real estate's most misunderstood investment strategies: non-performing notes. Scott shares how his own experience with overleveraging into rental properties and facing financial hardship became the foundation for building a business around distressed debt, helping homeowners stay in their homes while creating profitable opportunities for investors.

Scott explains what note investing actually is and why so many people misunderstand the asset class. Instead of owning and managing property directly, note investors purchase the debt secured by real estate, often at a discount, and step into the lender's position. That opens the door to restructuring loans, modifying payments, negotiating exits, and in many cases keeping borrowers in their homes while generating strong returns.

The conversation dives into where note investors fit in the foreclosure process and how they work with distressed homeowners. Scott walks through how lenders decide to sell non-performing loans, why flexibility matters once notes are acquired, and how loan modifications can create better outcomes for everyone involved, including homeowners, neighborhoods, and investors. Jonathan and Scott also discuss the realities of foreclosure, borrower psychology, and why empathy and business discipline both matter when navigating financial hardship.

Scott also shares practical advice for investors interested in entering the note space, including where to find opportunities, how to think about evaluating deals, and why building relationships matters more than chasing flashy opportunities online. They explore why many investors migrate into notes after difficult experiences with other real estate strategies and how note investing can offer a more scalable and operationally efficient approach for those willing to learn the process.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How Scott's experience facing foreclosure led him into note investing
• Why buying debt creates different opportunities than buying real estate directly
• How loan modifications can help homeowners while improving investor returns
• Where investors can find note opportunities and build relationships with lenders
• Why successful note investing requires process, patience, and long-term thinking

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Supporting Resources

Connect with Scott:

Website - http://WeCloseNotes.com

Youtube - http://WeCloseNotes.tv

Facebook - http://Facebook.com/1scottcarson

Instagram - http://instagram.com/1scottcarson

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/1scottcarson/

Connect with Jonathan:

Podcast - www.zenandtheartofrealestateinvesting.com

YouTube - www.youtube.com/JonathanGreenere

Instagram - www.instagram.com/zenrealestateinvesting

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/TrustGreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/zenandtheartofrealestateinvesting

Jonathan's Hub Site - www.trustgreene.com

Brokerage - https://www.streamlined.properties

This episode was produced by Outlier Audio.