If you're more debt adverse, like me, you could save the cash, or sell possessions or non retirement stocks to fund your first deal.

If you're doing all the heavy lifting (finding, managing, overseeing rehab), and they’re funding the deal, you could structure it a couple ways:Debt model – they’re just the lender.

Quote from @Joe Grespin: With all the recent news around inflation pressures and uncertainty around rate cuts, I’m wondering how other investors are adjusting their funding strategies.Are you:Relying more on private money or hard money lenders?

If you can survive and keep your sanity, you may become more appealing to other lenders with better rates, lower costs, higher leverages, better draw processes, etc... 

Low fixed interest rates.

If you partnered with your cousin, you could also use his experience to get you better leverage and rates.

Placement can also be slower — initial approvals often take longer than placing a market-rate tenant.

Quote from @Peyton Landon: Hey all, I am looking to connect with gap funding to scale my fix and flip business.

Market ConditionsInterest rates are driven by broader economic forces: inflation, Federal Reserve policy, investor demand for mortgage-backed securities, etc.

Borrower's have to bring their own funds (equity) to the project.