New here — private lender focused on keeping deals clean

[Blaine Miller]

Hey everyone,

I’m Blaine. Longtime BiggerPockets reader, first time posting.

I’m a private lender and have been involved mostly in small, relationship-driven deals with friends, partners, repeat borrowers, and a few off-market situations where trust matters just as much as the numbers.

What I’ve noticed, and honestly struggled with myself, is that a lot of otherwise solid private money deals get messy after they’re funded. Unclear terms, awkward follow-ups, vague expectations, or documentation that was never really buttoned up.

I’m here mostly to learn from the community and contribute where I can, especially around:

• Private money lending

• Documenting loans without overcomplicating them

• Protecting relationships while still protecting capital

• Lessons learned when deals don’t go as planned

Looking forward to connecting, learning from you all, and sharing experiences. If you’ve been lending privately for a while, I’d love to hear what systems, or lack of systems, you’ve used that worked or didn’t.

Glad to be here.