Sierra Davis
Sierra Davis is the founder of Essential Investment Group LLC and Principal and Fund Manager of Essential Income Fund I, LLC, a private real estate debt fund for accredited investors.
She has invested in mortgage notes since 2017 and brings a background in analytics and AI to underwriting real estate debt.
Current roles
Principal & Fund Manager, Essential Income Fund I, LLC
A private real estate debt fund for verified accredited investors that invests in performing senior-lien mortgage notes and originates short-term real estate loans secured by real property.
Founder, Essential Investment Group LLC
A Kansas City, Missouri real estate debt investment and lending company specializing in mortgage-note acquisitions, private lending, and seller-financed real estate.
Real estate debt experience
Sierra has been investing in mortgage notes since 2017. At Essential Investment Group she leads acquisitions, originations, and asset management: sourcing and buying performing mortgage notes, originating short-term loans secured by real property, and managing loans through payoff or resolution.
Her approach to underwriting is organized around the 3P Mortgage Note Underwriting Framework: what the collateral is worth (Property), who is paying and why they would keep paying (Payer), and whether the loan documents are clean and enforceable (Paperwork).
Background and education
Sierra's background is in analytics and AI, which informs a rigorous, data-driven approach to evaluating investment opportunities and managing risk.
- MBA in Data Science
- BS in Management Information Systems
Speaking and investor education
Sierra has educated more than 700 investors on alternative investments. She writes the weekly Wealth With Notes Newsletter, hosts the Wealth With Notes Podcast, and teaches live webinars and workshops on mortgage notes and real estate debt.
- Wealth With Notes Newsletter
- Wealth With Notes Podcast
- Webinars and replays
- Note Investing 101 investor guide
- What Is Real Estate Debt Investing?
- How Real Estate Debt Funds Work
- What Is Private Real Estate Credit?
- Mortgage Note Investing Explained
- What Is a Performing Mortgage Note?
- What Is Loan-to-Value (LTV) in Real Estate Lending?
- What Happens When a Borrower Stops Paying?
- Real Estate Debt vs. Real Estate Syndications
- Mortgage Notes vs. Rental Property
- Private Real Estate Debt vs. REITs
- Private Credit vs. Private Equity
- Senior-Lien Real Estate Debt Explained
- 7 Real Estate Investments for Accredited Investors, Compared
- Passive Real Estate Income for Accredited Investors
- How Seller Financing Works When the Seller Becomes the Bank
- What Is a Contract for Deed?
- How Essential Income Fund I Works
- Essential Income Fund I Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Invest in Real Estate Debt with a Self-Directed IRA
- Dividend Stocks vs. Real Estate Debt
- Stock Market vs. Real Estate Debt
- Bonds vs. Private Real Estate Debt
- IRR vs. MOIC Explained for Private Real Estate Investors
- Growth vs. Income Investing and Where Real Estate Debt Fits
- Real Estate Debt for Retirement Income and Monthly Income Without Selling Shares
- Levered vs. Unlevered IRR for Mortgage Note Investors
- The Case for Non-Performing Notes
- Land Notes as a Case Study in Diversifying With Small Balances
- What Is a Third-Party Loan Servicer?
- What Is a Broker Price Opinion (BPO)?
- How Short-Term Private Real Estate Loans Make Money
- What Is Asset-Based Lending in Real Estate?
- How to Choose the Best Real Estate Debt Fund for a Self-Directed IRA
- Alternatives to Real Estate Syndications for Passive Investors
- Income Alternatives When CD and Savings Rates Fall
- How to Compare Real Estate Debt Funds With a Due Diligence Scorecard
- Investing in a 506(c) Fund, From Accreditation to First Payment
- Real Estate Debt Investing for Attorneys
- Diversifying Crypto Gains Into Real Estate-Secured Income
- Passive Real Estate Income for Doctors and Medical Professionals
- Real Estate Debt for Family Offices
- Real Estate Debt for Nonprofits and Endowments
- Why Experienced Real Estate Investors Add Debt to Their Portfolio
- Real Estate Debt Funds With a Low Minimum Investment
- Real Estate Debt Funds With No Management Fees, and How the Manager Gets Paid
- Real Estate Funds That Issue a 1099 Instead of a K-1
- Real Estate Income Funds That Pay Monthly, and What to Look For
- Real Estate Income Without Capital Calls
- How to Sell Contract for Deed Payments
- How to Sell a Land Note
- How to Sell a Mortgage Note in Kansas
- How to Sell a Mortgage Note in Missouri
- How to Sell a Mortgage Note in Texas
- Selling Part of Your Note With a Partial Note Sale
- Selling Your Rentals but Keeping the Income
- When Your Syndication Pauses Distributions, Here's What Income Investors Can Do
- Tired of Waiting on Your K-1? Real Estate Income Reported on a 1099
Media and press
- From W-2 to $8K/Month Passive · Brian Luebben (Podcast)
- Rising Into Financial Freedom Through the Power of Notes · The REI Agent (Podcast)
- Paid Off Student Loans Early with Notes · JKP Holdings (Podcast)
- The Note Investing Strategy for Busy W-2 Professionals · Agent2Investor Podcast (Podcast)
- Yahoo Finance · Press release, October 6, 2026
Contact
For investor questions, media requests, or speaking inquiries, email info@essentialinvestmentgroup.com or call 816-384-0432. Essential Investment Group LLC, 4050 Pennsylvania Avenue, STE 115, PMB 4023, Kansas City, MO 64111.
Schedule a private call