Traditional financing, but I was able to secure a 15% down payment on an investment.

There really isn't an argument here...not an intelligible one, anyway...Your friend is rich right now and makes more cash flow from his current holdings than you will with 50-financed properties...roll in appreciation and he is set for life...and his family...and their kids...

@Steven Wilson Thank you for sharing the the HML contact with me, ill be sure to check them out.They are really good with long term products, but dont expect it to be any easier then a traditional lender.

The interest rates you would get from hard money would likely be WAY higher than if you financed with a traditional lender.

If you buy good deals consistently in every market and play the get rich slow scheme, nothing will stop you over the long run.

With the appreciation rate the way it is in San Antonio these last few years, I've even seen some clients buy traditional buy and hold deals and be able to cash out refinance within a year or two when they've bought right.

In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher.

Considering the big chunk of change that is even 3%-5% down for houses at Boston prices, I wonder if it may be worth it to buy in a neighboring town (within a 1hour driving radius) where prices are notably lower, put a more traditional amount down (10-20%), and just rent out fully without house hacking.

Considering the big chunk of change that is even 3%-5% down for houses at Boston prices, I wonder if it may be worth it to buy in a neighboring town (within a 1hour driving radius) where prices are notably lower, put a more traditional amount down (10-20%), and just rent out fully without house hacking.

My understanding of loans and financing is pretty limited.The latter scenario you describe of financing the purchase and rehab and then performing a cash-out refinance is quite frequently practiced.Often, an investor will get a loan for the purchase and rehab of the subject property, and then (after seasoning) cash-out refinance using a traditional bank loan.