What do the numbers really tell us about the Texas real estate market heading into fall? Welcome back to the latest edition of the Texas Foreclosure Update!

In this episode, real estate investor Scott Carson returns from his trip to Minnesota and Wisconsin to break down the complete September 2026 Texas foreclosure numbers. Total filings held steady across the state with just a slight 12-filing increase from August, bringing the total to 4,227 foreclosure filings across Texas for September's Super Tuesday auction. Behind those high-level numbers lie key regional shifts, county-by-county spikes, and emerging inventory trends that note investors, private lenders, and distressed property buyers need to know.

Whether you are looking to source pre-foreclosures, target non-performing mortgage paper, or uncover commercial real estate deals, Scott delivers the exact metrics and insights you need to find high-upside opportunities before the auction block.

Key Topics Covered:

• Statewide Macro Breakdown: Analyzing 4,227 total foreclosure filings across Texas for September 2026, comparing month-over-month performance to August's 4,215 total.
• Residential vs. Commercial Inventory: Unpacking 3,768 residential foreclosure filings alongside 447 commercial filings across the state.
• Regional Commercial Trends: Examining commercial shifts—South Texas jumping by 36 filings to 81 total, while Central Texas dropped by 16 to 118, East Texas dipped to 104, North Texas fell by 19, and West Texas fell to 18.
• County-by-County Deep Dive: Breaking down filing counts in major markets including Harris (672), Bexar (417), Dallas (337), Tarrant (264), Travis (123), Fort Bend (137), Hidalgo (170), El Paso (96), Williamson (74), and Collin (135).
• Notable Spikes & Drops: Highlighting Hidalgo County’s major spike of 57 filings, Harris County’s 21-filing increase, and notable drops in Bell (-36) and Williamson (-34) counties.
• Sourcing Distressed Paper: How to leverage tools like Roddy’s Foreclosure Listing Service (foreclosure.info) to track self-directed IRA lenders, locate bank-owned debt, and uncover pre-foreclosure opportunities.
• Upcoming Virtual Masterclasses: Details on the live Wholesaling Notes 101 Masterclass scheduled for September 26, 2026, and the 2-Day Virtual Note Buying Workshop on September 19–20, 2026.

Understanding the numbers is the first step to finding profitable real estate and note deals in Texas! Take these insights, apply them to your deal sourcing, and stay ahead of the curve.

Got questions about evaluating Texas real estate or sourcing non-performing paper? Book a call directly with Scott at talkwithscottcarson.com or email him at scott@weclosenotes.com! To get $20 off your monthly foreclosure list, head over to foreclosure.info and use the promo code weclosenotes. For details on upcoming live training, visit wholesalingnotes.com and notebuyingfordummies.com! Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this update!

Watch the Original Video of this Episode HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Is a luxury beachfront property with massive rental income always a slam-dunk deal for a note investor? Welcome back to another episode of 50 Note Deals in 50 Days!

In today's episode, real estate investor Scott Carson takes you down to sunny Galveston, Texas, to analyze a high-end, waterfront short-term rental (STR) facing foreclosure. Featured on a popular wedding show on Netflix and operating as a premier event venue and Airbnb, this three-story coastal property boasts incredible ocean views and high-ticket revenue potential. However, behind the beautiful listing photos lies a 20-month default, a listing price disconnect, and a hedge fund seller eager to offload the paper off their balance sheet.

Scott walks step-by-step through the numbers, comparing property values against the debt balance, evaluating foreclosure mechanics in Texas, and revealing why lenders often prefer selling the note over acquiring an REO asset on the water.

Key Topics Covered:

• Property Overview & High-End Asset Profiling: Examining a three-story, waterfront short-term rental and luxury wedding venue featured on Netflix.
• The Default Timeline: Unpacking a 20-month payment default and analyzing why the borrower listed the home for sale during the foreclosure process.
• Sourcing Hedge Fund Tapes: How this asset was identified out of an 86-note tape direct from a institutional seller (and 1 of only 5 Texas assets in the pool).
• Valuation vs. Debt Exposure: Comparing current active listing prices, comparative market analysis (CMA) data, and the actual underlying mortgage debt.
• Foreclosure vs. REO Risk: Why lenders prefer to sell non-performing paper to note investors rather than taking back coastal real estate and managing property operations.
• Texas Foreclosure Advantage: Leveraging Texas’ fast non-judicial foreclosure timeline to take control of defaulted assets quickly.
• Bidding & Exit Strategies: Determining maximum bid thresholds, workout opportunities with existing operators, and foreclosure execution plans.
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Whether you're looking to acquire paper on coastal real estate or just want to see how pros evaluate complex non-performing notes, this episode provides actionable due diligence strategies you can use in your own portfolio!

If you want to submit an offer, partner on deals, or have questions about distressed paper, book a call directly at talkwithscottcarson.com or email Scott at scott@weclosenotes.com. Ready to master note investing? Join our upcoming Virtual Note Buying Workshop by registering at notebuyingfordummies.com!

Watch the Original Video of this Episode HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Is every real estate deal a home run, or do some turn out to be too skinny to touch? Welcome back to another episode of 50 Note Deals in 50 Days!

In today's episode, real estate investor Scott Carson breaks down a full case study on a high-equity convertible reverse mortgage in Tyler, Texas. Sitting on nearly a third of an acre with a solid structure and clean interior photos, this property looks great at first glance. But as every experienced note investor knows, beautiful curbside appeal doesn't always guarantee a profitable debt deal. Scott pulls back the curtain on his exact due diligence process, walking through property valuations, legal balance payoffs, rehab estimates, and calculated bid strategies to determine whether this asset yields a winning return or is better off left on the table.

Whether you are looking to acquire non-performing paper, navigate foreclosure auctions, or manage real estate owned (REO) conversions, this breakdown offers an honest, numbers-first look at evaluating risk, calculating ROI across multiple scenarios, and knowing when to walk away from a deal that is just too tight.

Key Topics Covered:

• Property Overview & Visual Inspection: Analyzing Google Street View history, roof conditions, and BPO interior photos for a 3 bed, 2 bath, 2,511 sq. ft. single-family home in Tyler, Texas.
• Property Valuation vs. Debt Balance: Comparing a $331,000 Zillow estimate and a $345,000 BPO valuation against an updated legal payoff balance of $316,000.
• The Bidding Strategy: Why offering 80% of the legal balance ($250,000) protects capital and sets a floor for potential hedge fund counteroffers.
• Scenario A: Foreclosure Auction & Credit Bidding: Calculating 90-day returns if the property sells to a third party or yields a full credit bid payoff.
• Scenario B: The REO Breakdown: Factoring in a $25,000 cosmetic rehab budget (paint, wallpaper removal, updated appliances) alongside 10% closing costs to project net margins.
• ROI & Margin Risk: Why an 8% gross return (16% annualized) over six months leaves too little room for error if market values drop or timeline delays occur.
• Essential Due Diligence Steps: Conducting live property walkthroughs, reviewing collateral files, pulling title reports, verifying attorney foreclosure timelines, and pulling local comps.

Knowing when to pass on a deal is just as crucial as knowing when to buy. Take these insights, apply them to your own pipeline, and stop overpaying for skinny deals!

If you want to partner on deals or need help evaluating your paper, book a call directly at talkwithscottcarson.com or email Scott at scott@weclosenotes.com. Ready to take your strategy to the next level? Join the upcoming Virtual Note Buying for Dummies Workshop on August 29th & 30th at notebuyingfordummies.com!

Watch the Original VIDEO HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Stop burning thousands of dollars on dead-end Facebook ads and Google marketing—the search landscape has permanently shifted, and the playing field is officially leveled!

In this episode of The Note Closers Show, host Scott Carson breaks down how note buyers and real estate investors can dominate their target markets and rank as the #1 recommended investor using modern AI search tools. The days of prospects wading through ten blue links on Google are over. Today, sellers, lenders, and capital partners are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini directly for recommendations—and if you aren't providing machine-readable, factual content, you don't even exist in their search results.

Whether you have closed zero deals or a hundred, Scott outlines a step-by-step strategy to optimize your digital footprint, leverage free high-authority blogging platforms, and repurpose your deal case studies into local "AI juice" that brings off-market deals and private capital straight to your inbox.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Evolution of Search: Why traditional paid ads cratered and why AI answer engines now give direct, single-name recommendations instead of list links.
• Building Machine-Readable Trust: How to optimize your LinkedIn profile, About.me, and neutral third-party review sources so AI engines cite you as an authority.
• The Micro & Macro Blogging Strategy: How to use AI to generate city- and state-specific articles for your top 3 to 5 target markets on Substack, Medium, and LinkedIn.
• Leveraging Chamber of Commerce Directories: A growth-hack tactic to build high-authority backlinks and local credibility by highlighting local real estate vendors.
• Repurposing Audio & Video Content: How transcribing a simple 10-minute video case study creates multiple unique blogs and boosts your visibility fourfold.
• Optimizing Media & Video Length: Why YouTube pushes videos over 8 minutes and how proper image file naming drives extra search traffic.

Don't let your competitors capture the top AI search spots while your experience sits on the sidelines. Take action, optimize your content workflow, and turn AI search into your primary deal-flow engine!

If you want to discuss your note investing strategy or need help navigating your next deal, book a call directly at talkwithscottcarson.com. Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with another investor looking to scale!

Watch the Original Video of this Episode HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Stop focusing strictly on collateral value and start underwriting for true repayment!

In this episode of The Note Closers Show, host Scott Carson sits down with 30-year credit banking veteran, note investor, and author of The Mad Lender’s Guide to Private Lending and Note Investing, Doug Smith. Doug—aka "The Mad Lender"—shares essential insights into how private investors can avoid devastating loss rates, properly assess borrower capacity, and navigate shifting real estate cycles.

Whether you are looking at non-performing notes, hard money loans, or commercial real estate opportunities, Doug breaks down why relying solely on property values can lead to severe pitfalls, how rising operating expenses impact cash flow, and why structured due diligence is non-negotiable.

• The #1 Mistake Private Lenders Make: Why over-focusing on collateral value while ignoring borrower capacity, credit character, and primary repayment sources destroys returns.
• The Three Cs of Underwriting: How capacity, character/credit, and conditions dictate loan performance far better than property valuation alone.
• Commercial Real Estate & Multifamily Realities: Why rising insurance, taxes, and operating expenses are causing delinquencies and wipes-outs in syndications and commercial notes.
• Mitigating Downside Risk ("Dougie Downers"): How identifying potential failure points in every deal upfront saves principal capital.
• State-by-State Foreclosure Impact: Understanding judicial (e.g., Illinois, Florida) vs. non-judicial (e.g., Texas) timelines and factoring the time value of money into note pricing.
• DSCR Loan Flaws: Why typical Debt Service Coverage Ratio underwriting skips key property reserve and vacancy expenses, creating hidden default risks.
• Mentorship & Working with Professionals: Why self-servicing, skipping legal counsel, or taking advice from inexperienced instructors leads to costly legal and financial blunders.

Don't let market shifts catch you off guard without a solid risk management plan. Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and visit themadlender.com to grab Doug’s book and learn more about his consulting services!

Watch the Original VIDEO HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Guns Up, real estate investors! In this episode of The Note Closers Show, Scott Carson heads up to Lubbock, Texas, to analyze a unique non-performing first-lien note case study. This occupied 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home features significant recent exterior rehab (new roof, windows, and paint), 33% equity, and a surprisingly low $158/month principal and interest payment that has gone unpaid for nearly two years!

Scott walks through the exact due diligence, valuation metrics, and multiple exit strategies—showing you how to navigate low interest rates, foreclosure options, and REO sales to target returns ranging from 25% to over 67%!

• Property & Location: 3-bed, 2-bath, 1,881 sq. ft. single-family home (built in 1950) on a 7,900 sq. ft. lot in Lubbock, Texas.
• Loan Details & Peculiarities: Non-performing first lien with an estimated legal balance of $85,600 and a 3.25% interest rate. The original 2005 loan was $40,000, resulting in an unusually low $158.39/month payment.
• Property Condition & Transition: Recent Zillow imagery reveals major exterior upgrades (new roof, single-tone paint, new windows) compared to older bank BPOs from 2022 ($88K value). Current Zestimate sits conservatively at $129,000.
• Occupancy & Title Research: Tax rolls and deed records show the property was transferred from the original borrower to his daughter, who currently occupies the home.
• Exit Strategy #1 (Reinstatement Risk): Why requiring full reinstatement (36 months of payments in year 1) is mandatory—and why a low $158/month payment yields an unappealing 2.77% long-term return without foreclosure pressure.
• Exit Strategy #2 (Foreclosure Auction): Bidding at 80% of legal balance ($68,500) offers a $17,000 gross profit if sold at auction (~25% annualized ROI or 100% simple return on a 90-day timeline).
• Exit Strategy #3 (REO Retain & Retail Sale): Foreclosing and taking the property back to sell at $122,000 net proceeds yields a potential $41,300 profit (67%+ ROI).
• Key Risk Factors: Managing bankruptcy risks, unknown interior conditions, and evaluating servicing notes/right-party contacts.

Ready to evaluate non-performing notes, execute proper due diligence, and structure winning bids? Reach out to Scott directly to submit offers, discuss strategy, or partner up on upcoming deals!

📩 Email Scott: scott@weclosenotes.com

📅 Book a Call: talkwithscottcarson.com

Watch the Original VIDEO HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!

Are you feeling the pinch of economic chaos with too much month left at the end of your paycheck? Want to jump into real estate investing without dealing with toilets, tenants, trash outs, or massive startup capital? In this episode, Scott Carson reveals why wholesaling mortgage notes is the ultimate path of least resistance to generate $2,000, $5,000, or even $35,000+ per month in profit—without putting up a single dime of your own money!

Whether you're brand new, recovering from financial setbacks, or looking for high-yield ways to build your self-directed IRA, Scott breaks down how paper flipping works in 2026.

• Why Wholesaling Notes Works in 2026: How flipping paper avoids state wholesaling regulations, license requirements, and messy property management issues.
• No Money, No Credit, No Earnest Money Required: Learn why banks and hedge funds don't ask for earnest money or proof of funds when wholesaling notes direct from lenders.
• Real Deal Case Studies:
• How Scott made a $2,000 profit wholesaling a performing hard money note direct from a lender.
• How a $35,000 profit was generated in under 30 days flipping a non-performing commercial apartment note from Capital One.
• How a 90-day non-exclusive option on a hedge fund note portfolio generated $150,000 in flips.
• Overcoming the 5 Major Investor Fears: How to conquer fears around lack of funds, lack of experience, performance anxiety, and finding deals/buyers.
• Building an Active Buyers List: Leverage modern tools, AI, social media, and direct sources to connect with real buyers instead of "joker brokers".
• Supercharging Your Self-Directed IRA: How to put notes under contract using your Roth or Traditional IRA to grow tax-free or tax-deferred wealth.
• The Wholesaling Notes Masterclass: Details on the live, all-day Saturday Zoom masterclass on August 22, 2026, including step-by-step training, live deal-spinning exercises, and a free ticket to the 2-Day Note Buying for Dummies Workshop!

Stop letting your money sit on the sidelines or driving endless hours for ride-shares when you can become a real estate deal architect!

🎟️ Register for the Wholesaling Notes Masterclass (August 22, 2026):

Get full access for you AND a partner/spouse for just $199 (includes video replays, contracts, and a bonus ticket to the Note Buying for Dummies Workshop)!

👉 Reserve your spot now: wholesalingnotes.com

Go take some action, and we'll see you at the top!

Watch the Original Video HERE!

Got Questions? Book a Call With Scott HERE!

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn here!

Use Scott's AI Clone HERE!