Hi here some ideas: - You could increase your down payment, yeah that su... but anyways...- Try to find off market deals for way cheaper (e.g. using hard money, then refi into a rental loan)- Try to find properties where the owner will finance a big part of it and you get only a small loan with higher interest rates for the down payment.- Get a property subject to where you take over payments for a loan with lower interestfeel free to reach out and discuss some ideas

Holding long-term has been for me a great wealth strategy.  

A few posts on this thread but nothing that really explains if the app holds any real value or not.  

So for the last 2 years, I have let this idea stay just that, an idea.

6) Hold security deposit complaint with your state laws?

I am currently renting but I like the idea of house hacking to start out.

You could do more or less down but just wanted to give you an idea.

That's a terrible idea, one of the worst things you could ever do when buying your personal residence.

The other option is hard money, how good of an idea is using hard money for my first deal?

The rest of the money I want to invest in a flip and/or buy and hold.