Zero Cash Flow for Zero Money Down??

[Stephen Groves]

Would you take a deal that results in zero cash flow but doesn't require you to put any money down?  I have a 4-plex that I am considering buying from the owner.  He has offered to finance the deal and I have negotiated no money down, no closing costs, and an interest rate that is almost 1% lower than the bank.  The negative is he is only willing to do a 20-year loan with me.  Because the loan is shorter, the net result is that I will not cash flow positive, but will at least break even.  This is accounting for vacancy, repairs, and cap ex factored in to that calculation.  The 4-plex is worth about 200k, so in theory, I can create 200k of equity in 20 years with zero of my own money invested in the deal.  

Would you sacrifice not having cash flow in order to not have to put any of your own money down?  

[Bryan Devitt]

As long as you have the reserves to cover something major happening and there isn't a lot of deferred maintenance, I would do it all day. Even if it doesn't cash flow for the first few years, as long as you break even you're just getting free money after that point as rents rise and the free money flows not only for the rest of your life, but for your family until they sell it.