Buying Rental Property with No Money Down in 2025
House Hacking: Live in One Unit, Rent Out the Others
House hacking is a smart way to start. An investor buys a multi-unit property like a duplex. They live in one unit and rent out the others. This way, they can pay off their mortgage and living costs with rental income.
By using owner-occupant loan programs, house hackers can get financing with just 3-5% down. This makes it easy for first-time investors to get started.
Utilizing Home Equity for Investment Property Purchases
If you already own a home, you can use its home equity to fund investment properties. With cash-out refinancing or a home equity line of credit (HELOC), you can get money for down payments. This way, you don’t have to use your savings.
These strategies help beginners in real estate overcome the high upfront costs. They can grow their rental property portfolio and earn passive income without a big cash investment.
Alternative Lending Strategies: Hard Money and Private Money
Investing in rental properties can be very profitable. However, getting traditional loans can be hard, especially with little or no money down. Luckily, there are other ways to get loans that don’t require a lot of cash upfront.
Understanding Hard Money Loans
Hard money loans are great for real estate investors who need short-term real estate loans. They come from private lenders or groups and are backed by the property, not the borrower’s credit. These loans have higher interest rates and fees, but can give investors quick access to money. This is useful for those who want to act fast on good deals.
Tapping into Private Money Networks
Private money lending for investment properties is another way to finance. This means getting money from people like friends, family, or other investors. These private lenders for real estate offer flexible terms that can help investors in ways traditional loans can’t.
Using these alternative lending strategies, investors can buy properties with little or no cash down. This helps them grow their portfolios and earn money without working a regular job.
The BRRRR Method: Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat
The BRRRR method is a top choice for real estate investors. It means “Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance, Repeat.” This strategy helps investors grow their rental property portfolio step by step.

First, investors buy properties that need fixing up but are cheaper. They use a special loan to buy and fix these properties. After fixing them up, they rent them out to make money.
Then, they refinance the property. This uses the property’s new value to get cash. This cash can be used for the next property, helping investors grow their portfolio.