To Finance or not to Finance

[Raven Ye Mahar]

Hi, 

I often hear about the power of leverage in Real Estate and the benefits it could bring. But, is this mainly because most people can only afford a certain amount for the down payment? What if an investor is able to afford to buy properties with all cash - should the investor still decide to use leverage regardless? I would assume you would cash flow much more if there is no debt. What are some reasons to use leverage even if you don't need it? If decided to use debt, how should an investor think about how much LTV to take out (only the amount needed / to maximize the lendable LTV, etc)? If any experience investors would like to share their thoughts, I would love to hear them. Thanks!