If you don't have the relationships, hire someone who does.This is why Brian Burke can go “large corporate” while I have to stay “small private”; he has the ability to MANAGE PEOPLE that I do not.  

You can save a lot on costs if you do many repairs yourself.Look into hard money lenders or private lenders for the initial purchase and rehab.Connect with wholesalers, agents specializing in investment properties, and other BRRRR investors to find deals and learn more.

My recommendation is before chasing all these real estate deals is to go earn and save some money so when a good deal comes a long you can take action and move on it. 

In our view, experience and integrity are by far the most important parts of any private loan.

Private money and personal funds.

I currently do not have enough funds to fund a down payment and am trying to find the most efficient way to save.

Hey Aaron, have you considered a commercial mortgage from a local bank like First National or Bangor Savings Bank? 

Set clear goals, save for a down payment, and practice analyzing deals to build your confidence.

A hybrid approach could also work—perhaps using a HELOC for reserves while saving the stock portfolio and 401k loan as backup options for future opportunities.

I suggest you enter private money goldmine in search botton at top right of the screen and read the previous posts....here is one that gives good perspective as well as a link to legitimate private lenders.http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/92/topics/1488...