Yes. For most buyers, the strongest alternative to a bank is a mortgage broker. A broker shops multiple investors on your behalf and can often match or beat a bank's rates and terms, because the broker puts lenders in competition for your loan. For most buyers, a good bank or a good broker will offer the best overall financing, and the broker route gives you that competition working in your favor. Private money (often called hard money) lenders also exist, but they typically want 30% or more down and charge a much higher interest rate, so they are the wrong tool for a standard purchase. They fit narrow situations: a bridge loan that leverages equity you already have, or a deal where speed or a property no conventional lender will touch is the whole point. So before stepping into high-cost private money, compare a bank against a good broker. Reserve hard money for the cases it was actually built for.