For Jim Tiernan, a former Lockheed Martin employee turned real estate investor in Denver, the transition from traditional landlord to note investing expert didn’t happen overnight. But thanks to NoteSchool’s comprehensive training and supportive community, he discovered a more profitable—and far less stressful—way to build wealth in real estate.

The Traditional Real Estate Path

Like many investors, Jim started his real estate journey with rental properties, accumulating several properties across Illinois and the Denver metro area. While the properties provided steady income, they also came with the typical headaches of property management—maintenance calls, tenant issues, and the constant demands on his time and energy.

“Do I like managing rentals? No, I do not,” Jim candidly shares. “They’re a pain.”

The NoteSchool Turning Point

In April 2021, during the height of the pandemic, Jim discovered NoteSchool. Despite the challenges of virtual learning, he decided to take the plunge and enrolled in NoteSchool’s signature three-day class. What he discovered would completely transform his approach to real estate investing.

“I was so focused on the one side of the business—rentals—that I was kind of blind to the whole financing side. That’s a whole other world.”

Eye-Opening Discoveries

The transformation began during one of NoteSchool’s weekly Deal Labs, where Jim learned about wrap-around mortgages. The lightbulb moment was immediate: he realized he could apply this strategy to his own rental properties.

“I brought my rental to the next week’s Deal Lab, and we modeled it out,” Jim recalls. “We realized that I could make significantly more just holding the paper versus being the landlord.”

The numbers were striking. When Jim applied the strategy to his Chicago property, he not only increased his monthly income but discovered that over a 30-year term, he would make an additional $300,000—far more than he would have made through traditional rental appreciation.

The Power of Continuous Learning

Jim’s success stems from his commitment to ongoing education through NoteSchool’s comprehensive membership benefits:

• Weekly specialized calls covering performing notes, creative finance, and non-performing notes
• Access to Deal Labs three times per week
• A private Facebook community for networking and problem-solving
• An extensive vendor network for everything from property preservation to loan underwriting

“What’s nice is if I’m on a call and somebody else is presenting something, I can chime in and ask questions,” Jim explains. “I don’t have to go on the internet and look for an expert or wait a month for my local REIA to get that question answered—it’s right then.”

From Corporate Career to Note Investing

Jim’s dedication to learning and implementing NoteSchool’s strategies paid off. In fall 2023, he was able to retire from his corporate job at Lockheed Martin. Now, he’s focusing full-time on note investing, particularly targeting burnout landlords who are looking to sell their properties on terms.

The timing couldn’t be better. With current market conditions making traditional financing more difficult to obtain and anti-landlord legislation increasing in many areas, Jim sees tremendous opportunity in helping both sellers and buyers through creative financing solutions.

The Note Advantage

One of the biggest advantages Jim has discovered is the scalability of note investing compared to rental property management:

“You could own probably 20 times as many notes for the same brain power as one rental. Once you sell it, you’re not responsible for management, maintenance, taxes, insurance—you’re just getting a check every month.”

Looking Forward

Today, Jim is actively expanding his note portfolio, working with NoteSchool’s Trade Desk to acquire performing notes while also pursuing opportunities with burnout landlords in the Denver area. His success story exemplifies what’s possible when you combine NoteSchool’s expert training with dedication and implementation.

For those considering a similar path, Jim’s advice is straightforward: “Attend a three-day class. In my case, I was so focused on the one side of the business that I was blind to the whole financing side. That’s a whole other world.”

Ready to achieve success in note investing? The best time to start is now! Take advantage of the resources below to learn from industry experts, connect with a thriving community, and unlock your full potential in creative real estate financing.

Your journey toward financial freedom begins today—don’t wait to take the next step!

Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways we can help you start your journey into note investing: