It's a personal choice, there is really no right or wrong answer.

@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.

Unfortunately, these opinions are ubiquitous and facts/data are my preferred choice of input to make an educated guess on the direction of the market in the future. 

It’s a personal call, no wrong answer, people have won with both choices, but as for me and my house, I’ll pass on option A.

But how do you find this information out so that you can pick your "optimal" choice?

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.