The lenders simply are not interested in financing a deal where the buyer has such a small amount of skin in the game.If you don't mind, can you touch on how you were able to obtain the type of financing structure that allowed for a seller-held 2nd mortgage? 

If you know your target market and believe they truly wouldn't care (or be impacted- especially if it's very price-sensitive), you're probably fine with less.

I have not reviewed BAM's fees but it's likely based on their representation of UNDER 10% "skin in the game" that most of their "investment" is taken from fees deducted from the money gamblers place with them and counted as equity in the deal; this is a common practice in the syndication industry. 

Also, since I don't smoke I'm super sensitive to it.

Many sellers will not accept this since they are in second position, and it is very risky since if you default (higher probability for investors with no money and/or no skin in the game), they will most likely be wiped out during a foreclosure.

Quote from @Chris Seveney: @Francisco AvancenaThere are specific lenders who will do land dealsBut of course not as many as traditional real estate.The key will be skin in the game - typically for land because it is less liquid than a home the lender will want to have a lower ltv on the deal I fund land flippers currently in  CO FLA WA ID MT NV AZ OR TX SC GA VA  one thing about land though LTV is lower and RATES are NOT the same as typical HML rates are higher for raw land but its a specialty niche and a business that I grew up in..

Unfortunately most lack the balance sheet to obtain favorable financing, can't afford to put any skin in the game and fail to make a compelling reason for why the investment makes sense or to justify the structure they are seeking.

With this scenario we both have skin in the game: His work and my materials.

These types of loans typically require at least a 10-20% down payment, as lenders want to see that you’re financially committed to the project.There are ways to get creative but they still require some form of skin in the game. 

They told me they never trained for that, just reacted to save their own skin.