There seem to be so many ways to skin this particular cat.

What are your thoughts on the importance of the sponsor's level of co-investment, or skin in the game on each opportunity?

The down payment varies by lender, 100% financing is possible if the deal is good but can be more expensive than putting skin in the game.3.

I've seen the printing quality and maybe with the exception of color matching (my skin tone came out a little pink on the VistaPrint cards), their print quality is about the same.

You get to see what they do and why, but you have skin in the game so it's a real learning experience and not just "one more course".

Here are some of the SKU’s we used:Material list (Interior) –Wall and Ceiling Color – Silver Sage (UL 210-8)Trim Color – Fledgling (MSL 198)Door Color – Elephant Skin (UL 260-5)Flooring – Eagle Peak Hickory (146-654)Carpet – Arabesque (1000-019-537)Interior Doors – Jeldwen Continental-Style (729-608)Bedroom Lights – 13?

Don't worry about irritating the seller with questions about the income, expenses, property condition or tenants. 

Because of that it kinda gets under the skin when a new guy jumps in on a forum claiming to have to many "great deals" that he can just hand them out like halloween candy.

That first contact with a nervous, possibly distressed potential seller is critically important, IMO, and whoever is answering should have some real skin in the game. *  I've used PatLive and it cost me a fortune, and I did not get a single deal from a call they answered.  

Yes Leslie, hard money folks want you to have some skin in the game, so you have a vested interest in seeing the project through, instead of just walking away if things go bad.