Late on Wednesday, Home Capital disclosed that it had sold a 38 percent stake in itself to an insurance unit of Mr. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, at a deeply discounted price of 400 million Canadian dollars, or about $300 million. Moreover, it accepted a 2 billion Canadian dollar loan from Mr. Buffett's group, carrying a 9 percent interest rate, to replace an existing and slightly more expensive credit line. It is the latest instance of Mr. Buffett entering into a financially fraught deal that most other lenders would avoid. Mr. Buffett operates with advantages envied throughout the business world. His empire, and in particular its vast insurance operation, which includes Geico, generates enormous sums of cash, with $84 billion on its books as of March 31. Berkshire carries one of corporate America's highest credit ratings. And Mr. Buffett favors moving quickly and decisively.