Your team is important and you do need to have the ability to payoff a loan in a pinch, hard money potentially.

Eight months worth of reserve is usually enough buffer if I’m in a pinch. 

I just find myself always pinching pennys and getting on certain guys about what they did to make sure my money is being put to good use.

And yes, I can imagine if I was in a pinch and needed to sell but didn't have permits, that would not be a fun time. 

For the seller, closing is quicker, you still get money up front, it's an easy way to avoid foreclosure and save your credit if you're in a pinch, and if the seller decides against buying you're free to resell and treat the received money as if it were rent.For me, I see $ in referral fees and feel-good points for helping others reach home ownership.

That way, you force the loan balance down, but if you get into a pinch, you can pay the lower payment.

But I don’t really want to go there unless I’m in a pinch.

I will need private funds due to the fact that I rehabbed two properties that both have fell out of contract and I am in an pinch short term due to needing to use credit card debt to finish second rehab and lowering my scores too low to qualify. 

I was in a pinch recently on a refi and had to go with a broker but I paid for it. 

Each seller is in a different situation, and there are always sellers who are in a pinch one way or another and need to sell fast.