What would you do if you won the lottery? Virtually everyone has spent at least a few minutes daydreaming about how they would spend their newfound riches. Your millionaire status would be prominently covered in your local paper, but that’s where it would stay. That’s because, in most lotteries, payments are made in installments over a period of 20 years. You might not be able to buy that dream home, quit your job, or sail around the world – unless you knew someone like Joseph Sprauer. Sprauer, the CEO of Modern Cash Flow Solutions (http://www.moderncashflowsolutions.com/), is a facilitator. He would find an investor who would buy your lottery winnings, literally giving you immediate access to the cash you need.

While the odds of winning the lottery are a long shot, being able to get cash for paper assets is a sure bet. “When a seller presents us with a note, we appraise its worth and find an investor who wants to buy the note,” says Sprauer. “We have 350 individual and institutional investors who are eager to buy debt instruments.” This “paper,” as it is called in the financial world, can be anything from real estate mortgages and auto loans to estate settlements and – yes – lottery winnings.

In fact, there are over four dozen different types of notes that interest investors. One of the most compelling is the seller-financed mortgage. Even considering the low rates offered by institutional lenders, Sprauer emphasizes the significance of the private financing segment of the mortgage lending market. “There are over $100 billion in assets within the residential market,” he says. “And that number continues to grow.”

While there are a number of reasons why sellers choose to finance mortgages, there often comes a time when circumstances change and those who hold the notes need access to cash. “Perhaps the holder of the note has the opportunity to move his investment into a segment with higher returns, or maybe he simply has bills to pay or a child to educate,” Sprauer says. “At that point, there is a compelling reason for him to sell the note to investors and receive immediate cash.”

Typically, however, the person who holds the debt instrument doesn’t have a ready supply of investors to call. Likewise, investors are more interested in crunching numbers than they are in fielding calls from potential sellers. That’s why companies like Modern Cash Flow Solutions specialize in bringing together sellers and investors. “We do all of the legwork for both parties, and have the advantage of experience, training, and a huge network of resources,” says Sprauer.

Note holders and investors aren’t the only people who benefit from Sprauer’s services. Professionals such as attorneys, real estate agents, and CPAs frequently offer Sprauer’s expertise as an ancillary service to their clients who need to cash in paper assets. “An accountant might recognize that his client would reap tax benefits if she liquidated her notes,” Sprauer says. “Or an attorney may recommend that her cash-strapped client sell his settlement note in order to improve his quality of life.”

Even “civilians” can get a slice of the proverbial pie. Those who refer friends and acquaintances to facilitators like Sprauer can earn a finder’s fee. “We’re always on the lookout for people who want to sell notes,” he says, “and we appreciate it when individuals take the initiative and hook us up with potential clients.” It may not beat winning the lottery, but it’s money you can take to the bank.