Holding a seller-financed land note in Abilene, Texas and ready to convert it to cash? Whether your property sits in Taylor County, somewhere out toward Callahan County, or anywhere in the West-Central Texas region, this guide will show you how to sell your note efficiently and get the best possible price. If you want the full picture on selling land notes anywhere in Texas, start with our complete guide to selling your Texas land note.
Abilene's unique position in West-Central Texas creates a distinctive land market. As the largest city between Fort Worth and El Paso along Interstate 20, Abilene serves as the economic and cultural hub for a vast region. The city's three universities, Dyess Air Force Base, and diverse economy attract land buyers who often need seller financing to purchase property. If you're one of the many landowners who provided that financing, you now have options for cashing out.
At Longhorn Money Services, we've been buying Texas land notes for over 42 years, and we know the Abilene market well. We're direct buyers — not brokers — which means you keep more money and close faster. Let's explore everything you need to know about selling your Abilene land note.
Why Abilene Note Holders Decide to Sell
If you're considering selling your land note, you're joining thousands of Texas landowners who've made the same decision. The reasons vary, but they typically come down to a few common situations that West-Central Texas note holders experience.
Changed financial priorities: When you sold that land outside Abilene and agreed to carry the financing, your financial situation was different. Maybe you were still working and the monthly income was a nice supplement. Now you're retired, or you're facing a major expense, or you see an investment opportunity that requires capital. Whatever the change, a lump sum makes more sense than waiting years for the note to pay off.
Relocation: Many Abilene note holders move away from the area — maybe to be closer to family in Dallas or Houston, or to retire somewhere with different scenery. Managing a land note from a distance is a hassle. You don't want to deal with payment tracking, potential collection issues, or property concerns from another state.
Estate planning: Notes complicate estates. They require ongoing administration, and heirs often don't want the responsibility. Selling the note now means your estate plan is cleaner and your beneficiaries receive cash instead of a financial asset they have to manage. The tax implications of selling your land note are worth reviewing as you plan.
Frustration with collections: Being a note holder means being a lender. You're tracking payments, sending statements, following up when payments are late, and worrying about what happens if your buyer stops paying entirely. If you're tired of playing banker, selling eliminates all that responsibility immediately.
Risk reduction: Any financing arrangement carries risk. Your buyer might lose their job, face health issues, or simply decide to stop paying. Rather than hoping everything goes well for the remaining term of the note, selling transfers that risk to someone else while locking in your return.
Buyer red flags: Maybe your buyer has started paying late, or you've noticed other concerning signs. Selling now, while the note is still performing, protects the value you've built. Waiting until the note goes into default can significantly reduce what you receive. If your buyer has already stopped paying, see our guide on selling non-performing land notes.
Ready to cash out your Abilene land note? Get My Offer — free quote, no obligation, and we can close in as little as 7 days.
The Abilene and West-Central Texas Land Market
Understanding the Abilene land market helps you appreciate how your note will be valued and why certain characteristics matter more than others.
Abilene and Taylor County occupy a transitional zone between the rolling plains of North Texas and the more arid landscapes of West Texas. The region features a mix of ranch land, smaller residential tracts, and rural acreage that attracts both agricultural users and people seeking affordable country living.
The land market here is driven by several factors:
Military presence: Dyess Air Force Base employs thousands of people and creates steady demand for housing and land in the region. Military families often have unique financing needs that lead to seller financing situations.
University population: With Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University all calling the city home, there's a constant flow of faculty, staff, and students who sometimes become land buyers.
Agricultural use: Much of Taylor County and surrounding areas remains agricultural, with cattle ranching being a primary land use. Notes on ranch land or agricultural parcels have their own considerations.
Affordable living: Compared to Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin, Abilene offers significantly lower land costs. This attracts buyers from more expensive markets who often lack the credit history or income documentation that traditional lenders require, leading to seller financing.
For note holders, the stability of the Abilene market is good news. Property values here don't experience the dramatic swings seen in more speculative Texas markets, which means your note's underlying collateral maintains consistent value.
How Abilene Land Notes Are Valued
When you sell your land note, you won't receive 100% of the remaining balance — notes sell at a discount. Understanding what drives that discount helps you evaluate offers fairly. Our comprehensive guide on how much your Texas land note is worth covers the valuation process in detail.
The interest rate on your note matters significantly. Higher interest rates (8% and above) make your note more valuable because the buyer receives better returns. If your note carries a below-market interest rate, expect a larger discount.
Payment history is critical. A note with 24+ months of consistent, on-time payments demonstrates that your buyer is reliable. This payment track record reduces risk for the buyer and improves your pricing. Conversely, a note with late payments or missed payments will sell at a larger discount.
The remaining balance and term affect value. A note with $80,000 remaining over 15 years is valued differently than one with $30,000 remaining over 5 years. Generally, shorter remaining terms result in smaller discounts.
Down payment matters. How much did your buyer put down when purchasing the property? A 20% or higher down payment shows financial commitment and creates equity buffer. Notes with minimal down payments carry more risk and sell at larger discounts. We do buy notes with low down payments, but the pricing reflects the increased risk.
Property characteristics influence value. Notes secured by desirable properties — those with good access, utilities, buildable terrain, and clear titles — command better pricing than notes on problematic properties. A 5-acre tract with electricity and county road access is more valuable collateral than a landlocked parcel.
To understand typical discount rates when selling land notes in Texas, most notes sell for 70% to 90% of the remaining balance depending on these factors.
Why a Direct Buyer Beats a Broker for Abilene Notes
When you decide to sell your land note, you'll encounter two types of buyers: brokers and direct buyers. This distinction matters significantly for your bottom line.
A note broker doesn't actually buy your note — they find a buyer and take a commission, typically 3% to 10% of the transaction. That commission comes directly out of what you receive. On a $60,000 note, broker fees could cost you $1,800 to $6,000.
A direct buyer, like Longhorn Money Services, purchases your note using their own capital. There's no middleman, no commission, and no markup. The price we offer is the price you receive.
Our detailed comparison of direct buyers versus brokers breaks down the differences, and our analysis of broker fees versus direct buyer pricing shows the real numbers.
Beyond the financial advantage, direct buyers offer other benefits:
Faster closings: We make decisions in-house. There's no waiting for a broker to shop your note to potential buyers, no negotiations between multiple parties. We can typically close in 2-3 weeks, sometimes as fast as 7 days for urgent situations.
Certainty: When we make an offer, we have the funds to close. Our $5 million monthly buying capacity means your deal won't fall through because of financing issues.
Experience: With 42 years of buying Texas land notes, we've handled every situation imaginable. We know the West-Central Texas market and can evaluate Abilene notes accurately.
Flexibility: We buy notes that brokers often won't touch — smaller balances, low down payments, imperfect histories. If you've been told your note is difficult to sell, talk to us.
For more on why direct land note buyers consistently deliver better outcomes, explore our resources.
Step-by-Step: Selling Your Abilene Land Note
The process of selling your land note is straightforward when you work with an experienced direct buyer. Here's exactly what to expect, and for a detailed walkthrough, see our step-by-step guide to selling your Texas land note.
Step 1: Initial Contact
Reach out to us through our website at longhornmoneyservices.com or call George Mack directly at (210) 828-3573. We'll ask basic questions about your note: property location, remaining balance, interest rate, payment amount, and buyer payment history. This conversation takes about 10-15 minutes and results in a preliminary quote.
Step 2: Document Collection
If our preliminary offer interests you, we'll request copies of your note documentation. This includes the promissory note, deed of trust or contract for deed, payment records, and any other relevant documents. Check our complete document checklist and documentation requirements for specifics.
Don't worry if you've misplaced documents — we can often obtain copies from Taylor County records or work around missing paperwork.
Step 3: Formal Offer
After reviewing your documents, we provide a formal written offer. This specifies exactly what we'll pay for your note, any conditions, and the proposed timeline. Our offers are valid for a specified period, giving you time to consider without pressure.
Step 4: Due Diligence
When you accept our offer, we complete due diligence — verifying note details, confirming property information with county records, and ensuring clear title. We handle all this work and cover the costs.
Step 5: Closing
We work with a title company to handle the closing. You sign documents transferring the note to us, and we wire funds directly to your bank account. Most closings can be done remotely — no need to travel to Abilene or anywhere else.
Step 6: You're Done
After closing, we notify your buyer to send future payments to us. You're completely out of the picture. No more tracking payments, no more concerns about your buyer, no more being the bank.
For timing expectations, see our guide on how long it takes to sell a land note. If speed is your priority, our fast sale guide explains expedited options.
Want to see what your note is worth? Get My Offer today — it's free, fast, and there's absolutely no obligation.
Full Sale vs. Partial Sale: Your Options
When selling your Abilene land note, you can choose between selling the entire note or selling just a portion. Each approach serves different needs.
Full Note Sale
You transfer the entire note to us and receive a lump sum. This is the most common choice because it completely eliminates your involvement with the note. No more tracking payments, no more risk, no more being a lender.
Partial Note Sale
You sell a specified number of payments — for example, the next 48 months of payments — and receive a lump sum for those. After we collect those payments, the note reverts to you for the remaining term. This option provides immediate cash while preserving your long-term interest in the note.
Our detailed guide on full versus partial note sales compares both approaches, and our partial sale guide explores that option in depth.
For most Abilene note holders, a full sale makes the most sense. But if you only need a specific amount of cash and want to continue receiving payments eventually, a partial sale might work better for your situation.
Common Situations for Abilene Note Holders
Every note holder has a unique story. Here are situations we commonly see from Abilene and West-Central Texas note holders.
Ranch and Agricultural Notes: You sold ranch land or agricultural acreage and carried the financing. Maybe the buyer is a local rancher who needed flexibility, or someone from the city looking for hunting property. These larger notes often have longer terms and specific characteristics we understand well.
Military Family Notes: With Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, many notes involve military buyers. These buyers sometimes get transferred, creating situations where continuing the note doesn't make sense. We've worked with many military-related notes.
Small Tract Residential Notes: You sold a few acres for someone to build a home, and now you're ready to cash out. These smaller notes — often $20,000 to $50,000 — are sometimes rejected by other buyers who only want larger transactions. We buy small balance notes that others won't touch.
Inherited Notes: You inherited a land note and have no interest in managing it. Maybe you live in another state or simply don't want the responsibility. We can purchase inherited notes and work with estates or multiple heirs.
Problem Buyer Situations: Your buyer has become unreliable — late payments, bounced checks, communication issues. Rather than pursuing foreclosure (which is time-consuming and expensive), you'd rather sell and let someone else handle it. Compare your options in our selling versus foreclosure guide.
Notes with Issues: Your note has complications — low down payment, irregular payment history, unusual terms. We specialize in buying notes that aren't perfect. Don't assume yours is unsaleable.
Whatever your situation, avoid the common mistakes when selling land notes by working with experienced professionals.
Abilene and West-Central Texas Areas We Serve
While this guide focuses on Abilene, we buy land notes throughout West-Central Texas and all 254 Texas counties. Here are areas where we've purchased notes:
Taylor County: Abilene, Tye, Tuscola, Buffalo Gap, Merkel, and rural areas throughout the county.
Surrounding Counties: We regularly buy notes in Jones, Callahan, Nolan, Runnels, Coleman, Shackelford, Stephens, and other counties in the region.
Regional Cities: Beyond Abilene, we serve note holders in Sweetwater, San Angelo, Brownwood, Breckenridge, and communities throughout West-Central Texas.
We also serve note holders across all of Texas, including major cities like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Corpus Christi, Arlington, Plano, and Laredo.
What Makes Abilene Land Notes Unique
The Abilene area has characteristics that distinguish its land notes from other Texas regions. Understanding these helps you appreciate how your note will be evaluated.
Property Types Vary Widely: The region includes everything from small residential lots near town to large ranch tracts in outlying areas. Ranch and agricultural properties dominate the landscape, but there's also significant activity in smaller parcels for rural homes.
Water Rights Matter: In West-Central Texas, water availability is a significant property consideration. Notes on properties with good water wells or water rights may command better pricing than those without.
Oil and Mineral Rights: Some properties in the region have oil, gas, or mineral rights attached. If your note involves mineral interests, make sure to disclose this — it can affect valuation in both directions.
Access and Utilities: Rural properties sometimes have access challenges or lack utilities. Notes on properties with county road access and available electricity are more valuable than those requiring extensive development.
Market Stability: The Abilene land market doesn't experience wild price swings. This stability is actually positive for note buyers because the underlying collateral maintains predictable value.
Buyer Demographics: Military families, oil field workers, ranchers, and university-affiliated buyers create a diverse pool. Many of these buyers have income patterns that don't fit traditional lending requirements, making seller financing common.
How to Maximize Your Abilene Note's Value
While you can't change your note's fundamental characteristics, there are ways to present it effectively and potentially improve your offer.
Organize Your Documentation: Having your documents ready and organized demonstrates professionalism and speeds the process. Buyers appreciate working with note holders who have their paperwork in order.
Document Payment History Thoroughly: Detailed payment records showing consistent, on-time payments are valuable. If you have 24 or more months of perfect payment history, make sure the buyer knows.
Highlight Property Strengths: If your property has features that make it valuable collateral — good access, utilities, water, improvements — communicate these clearly. Buyers evaluate the underlying real estate, and positive characteristics help.
Know Your Buyer's Situation: If your buyer has strong employment, improved credit since the original sale, or other positive factors, share this information. It reduces the buyer's perceived risk.
Be Realistic About Timing: If you need to close quickly, be upfront about it. We can accommodate urgent timelines, but knowing your needs helps us structure the transaction appropriately.
Consider the Full Picture: Before focusing solely on the highest offer, consider the buyer's reliability, their ability to close, and the total transaction experience. A slightly lower offer from an established direct buyer often nets better results than a higher quote from an uncertain source.
Avoiding Mistakes When Selling Your Abilene Note
Our comprehensive guide on mistakes to avoid covers this topic thoroughly, but here are key points for Abilene note holders:
Don't wait for problems to become crises: If you're noticing warning signs with your buyer — increasingly late payments, bounced checks, lack of communication — sell while the note is still performing. Non-performing notes sell at significantly larger discounts.
Don't assume your note is unsaleable: Maybe someone told you your note is too small, has too little down payment, or has some other issue. We buy notes others reject. Get a quote before assuming the worst.
Don't forget about taxes: Selling your note has tax implications. Review our guide on tax implications when selling land notes and consult a tax professional before closing.
Don't use multiple brokers simultaneously: Working with multiple brokers can create complications and actually reduce your offers. If you want to compare options, get quotes directly from buyers rather than engaging several brokers.
Don't neglect documentation: Missing documents slow the process and can raise concerns about the note's validity. Gather your paperwork before starting the selling process.
Don't expect 100% of face value: Notes sell at discounts for valid reasons. Understanding the discount concept helps you evaluate offers realistically.
Tired of being the bank? Get My Offer from Longhorn Money Services. 42 years experience, direct buyer, no broker fees. Call George at (210) 828-3573.
Why Abilene Note Holders Choose Longhorn Money Services
With 42 years of experience buying Texas land notes, Longhorn Money Services has the track record and resources to serve Abilene note holders effectively.
Deep Texas Experience: We've purchased notes in all 254 Texas counties, including Taylor County and throughout West-Central Texas. We understand the regional market, property types, and buyer demographics.
Direct Buying Power: With $5 million monthly buying capacity, we don't need to find investors or arrange financing. When we make an offer, we can close.
Personal Service: You work directly with George Mack, not a call center. George has personally bought hundreds of Texas land notes and can answer your questions directly.
Flexibility: We buy notes that others won't — small balances, low down payments, imperfect situations. Even if you've been turned down elsewhere, talk to us.
Speed: We can typically close in 2-3 weeks, sometimes as fast as 7 days. If you need to move quickly, we accommodate urgent timelines.
Transparency: Our offers are straightforward — no hidden fees, no surprise deductions, no complicated conditions. The number we quote is the number you receive.
Compare working with us to other Texas land note buyers and see why direct buyers consistently deliver better outcomes.
Getting Started: Sell Your Abilene Land Note Today
Ready to explore selling your Abilene land note? The process starts with a simple conversation.
Online Option: Visit longhornmoneyservices.com and click "Get My Offer." Provide basic information about your note, and we'll get back to you with a preliminary quote — typically within 24 hours.
Phone Option: Call George Mack at (210) 828-3573. Describe your note, ask questions, and get a preliminary quote during the call. George has the experience to give you straight answers immediately.
There's no cost for a quote and no obligation to accept. We believe in providing information so you can make an informed decision. If selling to us makes sense, we'll move forward together. If not, you'll at least understand your note's market value.
Many Abilene note holders are surprised at how easy the process is and how quickly they go from monthly payment collections to a lump sum in their account. If you've been considering this decision, today is a good day to take the first step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Land Notes in Abilene, Texas
How long does it take to sell my Abilene land note?
Most transactions close within 2-4 weeks from initial contact. For urgent situations, we can sometimes close in as little as 7 days. The timeline depends largely on how quickly you provide documentation and whether there are any title issues to resolve. Our timeline guide provides detailed information.
What documents do I need?
You'll need the original promissory note, deed of trust or contract for deed, payment history records, and basic property information. Our document checklist covers everything in detail. Don't worry if you're missing items — we can often work around gaps.
How much will I receive for my note?
Most notes sell for 70% to 90% of the remaining balance, depending on interest rate, payment history, down payment, and property characteristics. Request a free quote to see what your specific note is worth.
Do you buy notes on ranch or agricultural land?
Yes. We purchase notes secured by all property types, including large ranch tracts and agricultural land common in the Abilene region. Property type affects valuation but doesn't determine whether we'll make an offer.
What if my buyer has been paying late?
We buy notes with imperfect payment histories. Late payments will affect the discount, but you can still sell your note rather than dealing with ongoing collection issues or foreclosure.
Do you buy notes with low down payments?
Yes. We specialize in buying notes that other buyers reject, including those with minimal down payments. The pricing reflects the higher risk, but we can often make offers where others won't.
What happens to my buyer after the sale?
Your buyer continues making payments — just to us instead of you. We notify them professionally and provide instructions for future payments. Their note terms don't change.
Can I sell part of my note instead of all of it?
Yes. We offer partial purchase options where we buy a specified number of payments and the note reverts to you afterward. Our partial sale guide explains how this works.
Your Next Steps
You have the information you need to make an informed decision about your Abilene land note. The question now is simple: are you ready to convert those monthly payments into immediate cash?
If you are, the path forward is clear. Visit longhornmoneyservices.com and click "Get My Offer," or call George Mack at (210) 828-3573. Either way, you'll have a preliminary quote quickly and can decide how to proceed.
If you're not quite ready, that's fine too. Keep this guide bookmarked for when your circumstances change. And remember — the best time to sell a note is while it's still performing well. Waiting until problems develop often means accepting a lower price.
Longhorn Money Services has helped thousands of Texas note holders over 42 years. Whether your note is in Abilene proper, out in Taylor County, or somewhere in the surrounding West-Central Texas region, we're ready to make you a fair offer and close on your timeline.
Ready to stop being the bank? Get My Offer from Longhorn Money Services today. 42 years of Texas experience. $5M monthly buying capacity. No broker fees, no hassle. Call George at (210) 828-3573 or click below to get started.