Instead of tying up your retirement funds, tapping into financing specifically designed for real estate investors can keep your portfolio diversified and your retirement intact.Leveraging your 401(k) is your personal decision, but framing it within the broader context of balancing risk, liquidity, and opportunity cost can clarify whether it’s the best tool for your goals.

Focus on the big-ticket items and estimate costs.Financing: Whether it's private money, hard money loans, or a traditional lender, make sure your financing is lined up.

Investment property financing is all we do and we beat most peoples rates and we are not even close to 5.0%. 

Paying an upfront fee for smaller subs seems like an interesting plot for a CONtractor mini-drama series

Through a wholesaler and we negotiated after doing thorough due diligence How did you finance this deal?

How did you finance this deal?

The benefits to the seller including dumping a money pit that no one can get financing on, dumping a property that has a nasty lien or judgment against it, selling for more than the property is worth, dumping a property that is contested in probate, things like that.

I suspect the person who originally turned it into a fiveplex only applied for permits to make a fourplex and then did the 5th unit fly by night (perhaps at a later date) in order so the property would still be considered residential and allow for better financing possibilities.

Price is probably above market,  17k down finance 75k @ 3.8% 35 yr amortization.  3 year balloon.  

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.