Financing multiple properties in a short amount of time

[Benjamin Barredo]

So I have yet to own a property but have a personal goal of either buying and holding a cash flow rental property by year's end. I just need to get that credit score up a little more. I'm about there

Anyway, I am a veteran and I make a decent middle class salary at my full time job. I don't plan to use the VA loan for my first buy but that's another topic. I only bring this up to give you a little insight as to where I am, where I want to be, and how you can help me get there by providing your knowledge in your answer.

What I want to know is, after listening to a podcast with Bill Allen who had only been investing for a few years and now owns five rentals, how does a person finance five properties? Can you take multiple home loans out at a time? Is it the ability to show loan providers the other properties are being paid down? Does owning investment properties change a person's ability to gain multiple loans as compared to a person buying for residential purposes? 

[Kevin Kroll]

It all comes down to mortgage math in terms of what your income can support (debt to income ratios), cash on hand (reserve requirements), credit score, etc...

Buying a lot of properties quickly can be challenging, but it gets easier after you can show records of being a landlord for 2 years such that the income from your rentals can be counted.

I have purchased 7 properties in the past 3.5 years, and 3 within 3 months from October 2015 - January 2016, so it can certainly be done.