CREATIVE FINANCE HAMSTER WHEEL TO FORECLOSURE HOME RUNS
Evan R. | Nashville, Tennessee | Foreclosure & Creative Finance Investor
Meet The Investor
Evan R. - Nashville, TN
Evan started like a lot of hungry operators: burning cash on generic marketing and chasing the "passive income" dream.
He spent about $30,000 on direct mail to generic absentee owners with equity. Most of it was a waste. The only real win was the house he now lives in, bought on seller finance. That deal exposed his real edge: he was good at creative conversations with sellers, not just lowball cash offers.
From there he branded himself as "the sub2 guy" in Nashville, doing low-equity subject-to deals in 2020–2021 while rates were cheap.
Then the market changed, and the model broke.
The Problem
As rates climbed to 6–7%, the low-equity sub2 deals that used to work became dangerous. At the same time:
- Rentals started bleeding him:
One week: $5,000 deck, water heater, full interior repaint – about $7,000 gone with nothing to show but stress.
- He had 6–7 deals in a month and still only saw about $30,000 before paying team, marketing, and overhead.
- He hired five people at once, created chaos, and didn't have enough quality leads to feed them.
- Events, agent meetups, and "being the sub2 guy" looked good externally, but:
“I felt lost… so much time and energy just felt wasted.”
He realized he was modeling other people's visions and building a portfolio that didn't match what he actually wanted.
The Turning Point
Looking for "lists with real problems," Evan found Michael on YouTube and resonated with the focus on direct-to-motivation foreclosure deals and actually serving sellers.
He joined the Niche Community around fall, plugged into:
- Foreclosure and niche distress data
- Training on how to stop auctions and structure complex deals
- A community that encouraged generosity toward sellers instead of shaming it
He rebuilt his business around solving bigger, time-sensitive problems instead of chasing generic "passive" doors.
The Results
Financial
First Niche deal:
Seller about one week from auction, ex-husband in prison Evan, guided live by Michael, stopped the sale, gave her time in the home, flipped the property Profit: about $35,000 in 2–3 weeks – his first true "niche flip"
Ongoing deals:
Dozens of foreclosure deals closed with profits averaging over 30k per deal
Creative owner-finance deal:
Took over a $52,000 lien and mortgage, sold as-is on terms to a contractor In for ~$40,000, got $30,000 down and ~$937/month cash flow for 30 years
Average deal size and speed have improved while operational chaos and overhead have decreased.
Business
He's stacking "emotional income," not just checks:
Seller Lisa, facing auction, asked for $10,000. Evan offered $20,000 instead:
She "just burst out crying… you and your team have given me calm and peace during my storm."
Seller Britney, homeless with a one-year-old, sleeping in her car, later threatening suicide. Evan:
- Drove 5 hours to Alabama to meet her
- Gave her money upfront with no guarantee
- Stuck with a brutally complex deal for months, likely making ~$1,000 at best
He stayed in anyway, because walking away meant walking away from a human being, not just a file.
How They Got There
Key changes Evan made with Niche:
- Switched lists: From "absentee with equity" to foreclosure and stacked-motivation niche lists.
- Rebuilt the team lean:
3 reps focused on outbound to people in real distress Evan as closer and deal architect
- Implemented structure:
Daily meetings instead of "go call" chaos Review KPIs, practice objection handling, and reinforce the mission
- Gold / Silver / Bronze system:
Gold: Real equity + real motivation = priority focus Silver: Potential, but missing key triggers Bronze: Low-equity, long-shot creative plays that no longer eat half the week
- Clarified vision:
Be the go-to solution for families in foreclosure in Tennessee Use creative finance selectively to help families into homeownership, not just to collect doors
He stopped copying other people's dreams and built a model that fits his skills, values, and the life he actually wants.
Final Thoughts
Evan's advice:
“Learn to be ultra-curious… about sellers, your team, and what you actually want. If you can't answer why you want something, you probably don't.”
He was already willing to work hard. Niche gave him the right problems to solve, the right people around him, and a structure that turns that effort into money, impact, and a business he's proud of.
DO YOU WANT MORE SIGNED CONTRACTS, NOT JUST MORE LEADS?
Watch the short case study showing how Niche investors use the Niche Operating System to turn fresh daily distress data into predictable signed contracts and closed deals.