Depending on the size of the opportunity if someone local has skin in the game with you then you are actually operating as a local.

They have more skin in the game then you do.Make sure you get clear title.

I add 15% to the normal rent for a Air BNB tenant as they are leasing the property with no risk or skin in the game, and they are making a profit off your lease.

You want to have skin in the game.

I have a little skin in the game as an investor. 

Everyone wants to do business with someone who's got skin in the game.

You need to be personable, have great networking skills, be diligent, thick-skinned (lots of "no's on those cold calls), be capable when it comes to negotiating between seller and buyer.

I started off in webinars, reading posts from the outside, and planning of to get 'skin in the game' before posting.

Not only could it save your skin, but also dissuade stupid lawsuits because you would be too hard to extract money from.

You need decent credit and some skin in the game. (15%-20% down + pay for closing costs)Typically when investors call me i will go over the numbers with them right on the phone and verify the deal fits our box / give pricing, then I'll take the time to do some comparable sale research to verify if your estimated ARV is within reason.