Why Seller Financing Beats Rentals in 2025 featuring Eddie Speed

The Collective Genius Podcast

In this episode of the Collective Genius Podcast, I sit down with Eddie Speed, founder of NoteSchool and a pioneer in the seller-finance note space. With 45 years of experience and over 50,000 seller-financed notes under his belt, Eddie brings a wealth of knowledge to the table—especially for landlords and investors struggling to make their rentals pencil in today’s market. We talk about why rental returns have declined, how inflation has quietly crushed cap rates, and why now might be the time to shift from being the landlord to being the bank.

Eddie dives deep into the strategy of converting rental properties into seller-financed notes—sharing how this pivot can double or even triple your income. He lays out a practical, low-emotion spreadsheet tool that helps investors clearly see where seller financing makes more sense than traditional rentals or BRRRR strategies. If you’ve ever thought about scaling your portfolio while reducing brain damage and boosting cash flow, this episode is for you.

Timeline Summary

[0:00] - Introduction

[2:20] - Eddie’s dual businesses: NoteSchool (education) and Colonial Funding Group (note buying)

[4:02] - Why rental property returns have declined—and how seller financing fills the gap

[8:00] - Eddie’s origin story: from cowboy dreams to becoming a note legend

[13:24] - The early days of NoteSchool and creating the “perfect note” formula

[15:06] - Why today’s market is ideal for pivoting away from rentals

[20:30] - How the note model can drastically outperform rentals on cash flow

[24:00] - Challenging the BRRRR strategy: better numbers through seller finance

[31:00] - Resources provided: spreadsheet, white paper, and implementation guidance

[36:15] - The underserved buyer market and how creative finance helps them win

[39:00] - Gold nugget: the ad copy that attracts serious seller-financing buyers

[44:00] - Eddie’s superpower and the importance of evolving with the market

[47:10] - Eddie on 13 years with CG and why it keeps him innovating

5 Key Takeaways

1. Rental ROI Has Collapsed – Many landlords are now making just a 4% cap. With seller financing, Eddie shows how you can earn 10–11% on the same property.

2. Be the Bank, Not the Landlord – Banks are consistently more profitable than landlords—so why not flip seats and start earning interest instead of rent?

3. Use the Spreadsheet, Skip the Emotion – Eddie provides a free tool to model your property’s potential as a seller-financed asset and see the numbers clearly.

4. Underserved Buyers = Big Opportunity – Over half of the buyer pool today can’t qualify for traditional loans. Seller finance opens the door to serve them profitably.

5. Creative Finance Is Scalable and Sustainable – Whether you’re tired of tenant turnover or looking to reduce mental bandwidth, owning notes scales better than rentals.

Links & Resources

• NoteSchool.com/CG – Free resources, spreadsheets, and white paper

• The NoteSchool YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteSchool

• Follow NoteSchool on Instagram and Facebook: @thenoteschool

• https://thecgpodcast.com/

If this episode sparked new ideas or shifted your thinking about rentals, make sure to follow, rate, and share the Collective Genius Podcast. Stay sharp, stay profitable, and keep scaling smarter.