How to Get 100% Financing for Investment Properties

"100% financing" rarely means one lender hands you every dollar. It usually means stacking sources so none of the cash is yours. Here are the approaches that actually work.

1. Private or hard money for the purchase + rehab

Asset-based lenders fund a percentage of purchase and often 100% of rehab, drawn in stages. If you buy well below ARV, the loan can cover most of your basis. You bring closing costs and reserves — sometimes covered by a partner.

2. The BRRRR refinance

Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. You use short-term money up front, then a cash-out refinance at the higher ARV pulls your capital back out. Done right, you recover most or all of your cash and keep the property.

3. Seller financing

When a seller owns free and clear, they can be the bank — little down, negotiated rate and term. Great for off-market deals where the seller cares more about a clean, certain close than top dollar today.

4. Partnerships and gap funding

Pair your deal-finding and execution with someone else's capital. A clear written split (and a real operating agreement) turns "I have no money" into "I have no money of my own in this deal."

The honest trade-offs

Less of your cash means higher rates, more fees, and thinner margins — so your deal has to be strong. 100% financing amplifies a good deal and accelerates a bad one. Underwrite conservatively, keep reserves, and line up your lender before you make offers.