Cash v. Financing When Starting Out

[Kimberly H.]

I have just joined BP and am doing a lot of reading to educate myself on starting out. One thing that struck me is that half the posts I see suggest that as a buyer you are at a disadvantage unless you are all-cash, while the other half of posts are discussing the best kinds of financing to use when starting out so that you don't need to risk too much capital. I understand the benefits of cash (cash is king, quick close) as well as the drawbacks (why not use OPM, etc), so overall I am just a little bit confused. Anyone who could shed light, please do so! Thanks.