Six Months and I'm Reaching A State of Peace

(See other Monthly Status Updates)

So I've gone from flying high to 14 Late Notes (one is now in Default). I was able to sell one of the Late Notes pretty early on. One of the Notes came current (and immediately sold, now that it was not Late and steeply discounted). I don't expect to sell any of the Late Notes I am currently holding before they go into Default. I have steeply discounted them, but it appears that Late Notes just don't sell, especially this Late.

I did have one Note finally go into Default (Charge Off). However, I did get some money from collections ... and then the collection fee ate that recovery up.

I went through and looked at the Notes that were Late and noticed something ... I had three Notes from one Loan that went Late! Three Notes! Not just one or two, Three! I went through my list of Notes and sorted by Loan number. I got pretty good at looking at the last digit to see quickly where I had Notes from the same Loan. I culled out another half dozen from back in the day before I watched for duplicate Notes.

So, lessons learned. First, check the Note before you buy it to make sure they haven't already failed a payment (apparently they still show up as never late). Second, make sure you do not have more than one Note from the same Loan (or Notes worth more than $25). Third, treat Grace Period as the plague. Grace Period sells, but Late does not (only 7% of my Late Notes sold while Late).

As far as returns, Lending Club is still reporting my NAR above 20% (although I am considering those Late Notes as Charged Off already. I've sold more than twice as many Notes as I currently hold, so about every three months I cycle through Notes. Of the Notes I hold, they are worth an average of $24.88. I've held them for almost two months on average. Of the Notes I've sold, I've held them for an average of 19 days (almost three weeks). My median annualized return on Notes sold is 33%, however I like to use a Days Weighted Average (the longer I hold it the more it is weighted) which is 72%.

I feel like I'm emerging from the Fire Swamp, and now it's time for Prince Humperdinck, I mean Tax season. (Maybe I will name my portfolio Buttercup).