Your practical guide to scoring cash to fuel your real estate investments

Want to be a smart, successful real estate investor? This no-nonsense guide contains everything you must know to make the right choices about financing your investments — from the various options available and the impact on cash flow to the tax implications and risk factors involved. You also get tried-and-true tips for surviving a down market and using current investments to finance future ones.

• A crash course in real estate financing — understand standard terms and concepts, learn the various sources of investment capital, and gather all essential facts and figures

• Weigh your options — decide which type of financing is best for your circumstances and incorporate it into your real estate investing plan

• Finance residential properties — evaluate residential loan programs, navigate the loan application and processing, and handle the closing

• Invest in commercial properties — know the different property types, choose the one that meets your investment goals, and discover unique sources for financing

• Tap into unconventional sources — discover the pros and cons of "hard money," capitalize on seller financing, partner to share risk and equity, and invest on the cheap with no-money-down deals

Open the book and find:

• Real-world advice on financing without tying up all your capital

• How to get prequalified or preapproved for a loan

• Questions to ask your lender upfront

• Ways to avoid common beginner blunders

• How to protect your personal assets from investment risks

• Bargain-hunting hints for low-cost loans

• Strategies for surviving a credit crunch

• Ten pre-closing steps you must take