Hi Arshiya,Typically a Hard Money Lender will look at your:Down Payment (assets/liquidity to put into down payment) - 20-30% for first time investorsProperty value and After Repair ValueRehab Plan and Timeline - detailed rehab plan with realistic timeline and budgetExperience - not necessary but helpsFinancial Strength - credit score, track recordsExit Strategy - how you plan to pay the loan off

In the loan application it asks if borrower has another debts or loans etc in process .

Seasoned Investor picked this us using a hard money loan

I've helped many of them, including one N California investor who purchased 8 rental properties here.You mention house-hacking...will you be using the home as a second home part of the year or do you plan to rent it out on a long-term basis.If you plan to get a loan, I would recommend contacting BP member @Art Shalomov, who is also a lender.

Might be worth paying a bit of interest on a smaller loan then having a larger tax bill, and pay it off the next year if you want it free and clear.You can also refi it in 10-15 years and not sell but pull out equity that wouldn't be taxable.

Looking to connect a friend with a lender who is good with FHA and down payment assistance programs for first time home buyers or with a usda home loan. 

@Gregg FrancisThere are lenders who offer equity lines of credit on rental properties, but they might have a higher rate and a lower total loan-to-value when compared to a HELOC on a personal residence.

People on a variable interest rate loan may be suffering in the current economic climate and may have regretted going down that route.

Will a lender be willing to make you make a loan to you for that cash?

This is within reach of a 401k loan too. $60k loan paid off at $1,200/mo would take less than 5 years to pay off!