Buying a rental property is one of the most popular forms of real estate investment. Investors look to purchase an investment property with rental property loans that can be rented out for more than the monthly liabilities (principal, interest, taxes, insurance) and achieve positive cash flow.
The real estate investor will also hope to benefit from appreciation while they hold the property and take advantage of tax benefits in order to maximize their profits from buying a rental property.
Loans for rental properties generally require a down payment of at least 25% from the real estate investor. 100% financing is not available. If the real estate investor has equity in another property but does not have enough cash for a down payment, the real estate investor may be able to take out a cash out refinance loan in order to raise funds for the new purchase. The hard money lender will also want to see that the investor has cash reserves available to deal with potential tenant vacancies, repairs and any other unforeseen issues.