Rate & term is alot easier to do if your in a hurry and can save you on hard money interest payments (assuming you have used hard money) The downside is your money will be tied up but you can also refi again later with a cash out or get a HELOC.. this can be tricky too and its a different topic.

I do have good credit and the money for the down payment.

Should I plan on using cash or is there a way to use equity for a down payment.

In NC you can get $15,000 in down payment assistance through NCHFA as long as you make under $100,000 a year (varies in some areas).

There are some interesting loan products that can lower your monthly payment which can help cash flow but these will come with trade offs. 

At the same time, with GMP/Fixed, if the GC is losing margin on the build they can walk off the job or take short cuts to reduce their cost.

Typically investment properties requires 15%-25% down payment depending if it's a single family or multifamily.

With a lower down payment, you may still find properties that cash flow well.

What if you reinvest the net income from one property into a second property before year end, resulting in a net loss for the year given the high expenditure of an second down payment?

As such, payments that you make need to be prorated between business deductions and personal deductions.