There's quite a lot of funding types for property investors. Since 2008 banks seem to have tightened belts to their lending criteria, partly due to the lack of bank liquidity. If you have cash already sitting waiting to be invested then you have a number of options open to you. It depends on what type property (residential, commercial),how much of your own money you can invest otherwise known as 'skin in the game.'
Some funding options you can get quite easily if you have a good credit history. It helps that you have some kind of experience/knowledge in property but you can still get funding if you have a little down deposit. There are many funding options available from 99% LTV on large commercial properties - from banks that do debt funding. Some of these banks do seed funding, they will fund if you have a fantastic business plan and projected financials. Some routes can be fairly expensive as the facilitators might have some kind of monthly retainer fee on top of a success fee. However it is all about perceived value. If for a service fee of say $30K plus a 3% success fee is payable to obtain say $100M, some would view this as value for money. In some instances the banks will back your project through some kind of external bank guarantee to back a project if the project principal cannot come up with any collateral themselves.
There are other banks that are cheaper than investment banks but you just need to "shop around". Obtaining a mortgage from an independent advisor is better than going straight to banks. They will have "whole of the market" option and should give you the best option to fit your circumstance. Always remember that when a bank or funder is evaluating a project, it is all about perceived risk. How much can the borrower bring to the table? The general rule of thumb is that the more that the borrower risks on their own capital, the less risk it is for the funder and the better the terms of the loan.
There are service providers who operate a database of reliable funders whose job is to assess projects and then negotiate terms with potentials lenders. Don't underestimate the service these companies provide. They have links to hedge funds, investment banks, private equity firms etc., For big development projects try going to one of these service providers.
