In the short term I know cali has been better but if you are only looking short term I think you may be sorry,  I survived the big drop when I lived in Pasadena California by the skin of my teeth.  

I would just have to reduce the term of the loan, which would require her to either move out or start paying rent sooner.Likewise, I could put 5k or 10k down so I have some skin in it, but again, that would shorten the term of the loan and require her to move out or start paying rent sooner.

There are many ways to skin a cat as they say.

I'm fairly new to this...except I have owned and rented a few mobile homes several years ago but this is my first attempt at making a viable income with reasonable skin in the game.

Do they require a "skin in the game" or can lend 100% purchase + rehab?

Long story short, there is more than 1 way to skin a cat; how about contracting/purchasing a property in an LLC and than selling the LLC?

We would call that 60% LTV, 80% CLTV, buyer has 20% skin in the game.In the 96.5% LTV FHA world, where you want to go to 100% CLTV with a seller carried note secured by the property in question, not going to happen unless there's lots of fraud afoot. 

@Jake WashburnThere are lots of options for funding properties that you intend to flip.I'd recommend the following:Reach out to a few hard money lenders to see what kind of skin in the game they would want you to have. 

Also you can pull any equity out to use as skin in the game for the next project. 

To survive first there is absolutely on place in business for emotions (ever)  and second you need to develop very thick skin.