We have charged $500 as a damage deposit since day one.I am of the belief that they need to have some skin in the game.

Your brain is going haywire and your body is simply trying to do all the changes and still fit into your skin.

They would require skin in the game (cash) and your analysis on a specific deal before funding 80-90% of the purchase price + construction costs.

I would also recommend that they have sufficient 'skin in the game' IE additional down payment above and beyond just having lived there a while. 

ZERO skin in the game. 

Again, other might feel differently here.b) Skin in the game: as a conservative investor, I understand that the dirty secret of industries that the waterfall compensation is in the line with me and incentivizes sponsors to take more risk.

Why every renter hates living in big multifamilies and dealing with bullying property managers with no skin in the game.

I’d love to hear from people that have had skin in the game for a while.

Most will require some skin in the game and they lend on the property and your experience, not your jobs.  

Navigating the financing nuances is where I'll need the greatest help, since there are 110 ways to skin the real estate purchasing cat, and none of them are totally clear to me (yet).