Using my own money as cash down, or other options?

[Clint Diven]

I currently have enough in savings that I can fund roughly two down payments plus some rehab cost. I am trying to decide if I should go ahead and buy two, buy and hold properties and start cash flowing, or if I should use other methods to fund them and hold on to my savings? I currently own my primary residence, which is a single family, the markets I am looking at are fairly hot, with anything with a decent price goes under contract within the week of being listed. I like the strategy of buying a flip and using the profit as a down payment on a rental, but I am also worried about the coming down turn in the market, and how the timeline falls with getting a flip now and trying to list it as the market is slowing down. I am wary of private and hard money lenders, as I have never dealt with it. Any advice is greatly appreciated!   

[Jacob Sampson]

I think it is fine to use your own money to buy but I wouldn't sink all your money into 2 properties.  Buy 1 and learn the game then go ahead and buy the second if you decide buy and hold is for you.  

That being said, don't buy into a hot market.