People sell their notes for many, many reasons, most of which are because they need cash now, such as:

            They are behind on bills
            They need a vacation
            They want to purchase a boat or RV
            They want to pay off their credit cards
            They have another project in which to invest
            Their kids are going to college or having a large wedding
            They need a new car or repair the old
            They want to buy a new home or remodel the old
            They need money for medical bills
            They are divorcing or one of the holders passed away
            They need to pay taxes
            They just had a baby

People also sell their notes for other reasons:

            They are holding paper for a relative who has taken advantage of the relationship
            They want to eliminate the bookkeeping headaches
            They have issues with the current payors
            They want to expand their business and need the cash

  The risks of keeping a note can be many, risks that are sometimes better controlled by professionals:

            Late or missed payments
            Inflation
            Liens on property
            Default on loan
            Damage to property
            IRS reporting requirements
            Payors looking to you for repairs
            Failure to pay property insurance or property taxes
            Destruction of the property
            Bankruptcy, foreclosure or delinquency