Having real skin in the game is a major incentive to do the best thing for investors in a downside situation. 

However, open to invest with others outside of the DC metro area as long as they have a skin in the game ( Just following Brandon Turnner's advice)  :)What I Have Done:1.

Three of the 4 locks look to be surface mount.

3)  Is it common for the developer not to have any upfront "skin in the game" (no $$ capital contribution)?

Surface the material issues.  

He who dies with the most toys is dead.There was a reason people like Gandhi or Mother Theresa appear serene/content, at least on the surface.

But in my past life as a high-stakes language exam tutor, I walked into a lot of households with very nice art on the walls where the kid being raised was thoroughly worthless, a complete waste of skin.

Lies, lack of integrity, zero communication, mismanagement, poor workmanship and greed barely scratches the surface.

For example, we could be at 13% and 3 points on something like that assuming the GC also has some skin in the game on the down payment.

You need a hard money guy who knows you as they will say you have no skin in the game.