Tax Liens & Mortgage Notes
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
![](http://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/assets/forums/sponsors/hospitable-deef083b895516ce26951b0ca48cf8f170861d742d4a4cb6cf5d19396b5eaac6.png)
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
![](http://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/assets/forums/sponsors/equity_trust-2bcce80d03411a9e99a3cbcf4201c034562e18a3fc6eecd3fd22ecd5350c3aa5.avif)
![](http://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/assets/forums/sponsors/equity_1031_exchange-96bbcda3f8ad2d724c0ac759709c7e295979badd52e428240d6eaad5c8eff385.avif)
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback
Updated 2 months ago on . Most recent reply
![Chris Seveney's profile image](https://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/no_overlay/uploads/social_user/user_avatar/329845/1674401826-avatar-7einvestments.jpg?twic=v1/output=image/crop=4480x4480@0x336/cover=128x128&v=2)
Note Investing: Like Watching a Jerry Springer Episode Unfold
In the world of note investing, you never know what you’re going to get. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, a due diligence case like this one lands on my desk. We’re looking at a seven-figure property in Texas, tied to a non-performing loan. Simple enough, right? Think again.
Here’s where it gets interesting: The borrower passed away without a will. Now, two women are vying for the right to be executor of the estate. Why? Because the borrower wasn’t just a property owner but a business owner with millions on the line. The twist? Both claim they were married to the borrower via Texas’s common law marriage rules. Woman #1 was the mother of his two children, though they split five years ago (but during covid she and the two kids were living with him and woman #2...). Woman #2 was his partner for the last three years until his death. Both allege they were his common-law spouse.
I am imagining this playing out like a live Jerry Springer episode, with probate court as the stage and legal claims as the punches. It's a situation where if it was a springer episode each party would have to be separated after the fist fight/hair pulling contest with one getting thrown in the crowd.
While the circumstances may seem entertaining, the reality is this is not a laughing matter. Delays like this—especially in probate—impact our timelines and profitability. If we buy this loan, we need to have a thorough game plan on how we are going to be resolving this and understanding these dynamics is key to managing expectations and protecting investments.
- Chris Seveney
![business profile image](https://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/no_overlay/uploads/marketplace/business/profile_image/3856/1731163014-company-avatar.jpg?twic=v1/output=image/contain=65x65)
Most Popular Reply
![Dan Deppen's profile image](https://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/no_overlay/uploads/social_user/user_avatar/837282/1621504226-avatar-dandeppen.jpg?twic=v1/output=image/cover=128x128&v=2)
This guy sounds like a character. My bet on the next twist is the death turning out not to be natural causes.
- Dan Deppen