Top 8 Ways to Invest in Real Estate Using Other People’s Money

One of the attractive aspects of real estate investing is that you don’t necessarily have to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to get started. Unlike stocks, which you have to purchase 100 percent outright, real estate allows you to fund the investment in other creative ways.

In real estate, other people’s money (OPM) is a term that refers to using leverage to buy real estate.

In an article by Brian Kline at Realty Biz News, he outlined the top eight ways you can invest in real estate using other people’s money (OPM). Kline outlines the basics of each option.

Here are a few of the ways you can possibly invest in real estate using OPM:

Seller financing – Title to the property is transferred to the buyer along with a mortgage or deed of trust and a promissory note that outlines the terms and conditions of the loan the buyer now owes the seller. This strategy may be used instead of providing all the cash needed at closing.

Subject to existing financing – When the seller still owes money on the mortgage, the buyer can agree to continue making the seller’s mortgage payments in addition to a second payment to the seller in order to generate profit for the seller.

Using private money – This money can be raised from various sources instead of the traditional bank loan. Self-directed retirement accounts are a popular source used for private money in addition to wealthy investors and hedge funds.

Hard money – Generally used for short term loans and as a last resort. Hard money lenders typically charge higher interest rates and are often for periods of six months to a year. This is a popular strategy for properties that plan to be flipped in a short period of time.