Real estate investors have a number of options when it comes to borrowing money to fund an investment. Most common are conventional loans, hard money loans and private money loans, which the following sections explain. The 3 Financing Options Every New Investor Should Understand Check out these three common options for investors: Conventional loans. These are loans from banks or other financial institutions that follow standard underwriting guidelines. They typically have a longer application process, a higher credit score requirement and require a larger down payment. Hard money loans. These are short-term loans from private investors or companies that use