POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Brian Mitts, Matt McGraner and Lauren Thedford signing singly,
the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

          (1)  execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
     undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director of NexPoint Real
     Estate Finance, Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with
     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
     thereunder;

          (2)  do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
     undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any
     such Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments
     thereto, and timely file such form with the United States Securities and
     Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

          (3)  take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
     the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
     benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
     undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
     attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
     Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions
     as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

     The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in- fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     The execution by the undersigned of this Power of Attorney hereby expressly
revokes and terminates any powers of attorney previously granted by the
undersigned relating to Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned's
holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company.  This Power of
Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no
longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned's
holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of April 2, 2020.


                                      /s/ D.C. Sauter
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