---
title: Can I Get a Loan for a Real Estate Investment?
description: Cash will get you the best deal on properties, but here’s a trick favored by experienced investors.
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published: '2014-07-03T17:31:43.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-02T04:38:14.000Z'
section: Loans
tags:
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  - fannie mae
  - home owner
  - real estate
  - real estate investment
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![Can I Get a Loan for a Real Estate Investment?](https://money.com/img/logo-social.png)

Cash will get you the best deal on properties, but here’s a trick favored by [experienced investors](https://money.com/collection-post/should-i-buy-an-investment-property/). Use cash to buy, then within six months, get a Fannie Mae-backed loan on 75% of the home’s value as if it were a purchase, with better terms than a cash-out refinance. Expect to pay at least a quarter point higher on the [mortgage rate](https://money.com/collection-post/what-mortgage-is-right-for-me/) than if it were your primary residence, says Dean Vlamis, vice president of lender Guaranteed Rate.

Fannie Mae will allow you to finance up to four properties—which includes your [primary residence](https://money.com/collection-post/how-to-get-the-best-mortgage-rate/)—with 25% down. Note: Fannie counts a duplex, triplex, or fourplex as a single property, so you can finance more units at beneficial terms. Keep in mind that unless you have a two-year track record as an investor, lenders may not count future [rental income](https://money.com/collection-post/returns-on-investment-home/) towards qualifying for the loan, says Mike D’Alonzo, former president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers.

**Calculator: [Should I pay off debt or invest?](http://calcxml.com/calculators/pay-off-debt-or-invest)**

[Own your own company](https://money.com/topic/small-business-startup-guide/)? The U.S. Small Business Administration offers 10% down low-cost real estate loans as long as the business occupies at least 51% of the space. If you can find a building with, say, an apartment on the second floor, you can rent out that space to a tenant and save on office expenses.

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