By Charles Peckman, Contributing Writer

The Pitfalls of Fractionalized Deeds of Trust

By Edward Brown, Pacific Private Money

Many investors like the alternative lending space where they can invest in mortgages, otherwise know as, Trust Deed investing, whereby they become the lender on real estate. The two major ways to invest in these mortgages is either in some kind of pooled investment [a Fund], similar to a mutual fund or owning the deed of trust on a specific piece of real estate, similar to owning an individual stock.

In the case of investing in a Fund, the investor invests in the Fund, and the manager chooses which loans to make to borrowers. In the situation of owning an individual deed of trust, the investor chooses which specific loan to invest in and is recorded on title. It is the latter that is the focus of this article, and specifically fractionalized deeds of trust where the investor shares ownership in the investment with on or more other parties.