Finding Silent Partners

[Account Closed]

Those of you who have had success buying property using other people's money, how did you first get started? I'm in a neighborhood where I can buy houses for about $350k and rent them for $3k+/mo. I purchased one a year ago for $270k, am about to close on almost the same house for $330k. That will tap out my liquid assets but I see a lot of potential for buy/rent/hold in this neighborhood.

Hard money lenders seem like a sucker's game but I don't have experience in that world and would appreciate input.