One of my favorite authors, Nicholas Nassim Taleb, sold me on the concept of Skin in the Game and holding all pundits accountable for prior predictions, myself included. 

Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

Because for the most part, these lenders look at the deal you bring to the table, the hard asset. 

Quote from @Danny Gonzalez: @Paul CijunelisSo I’m not in the IL market, but I’ve owned a PM company for 5+ years, and here are some lessons I wish I’d known when starting out:1.Hire a VA Early: If you haven’t already, bringing on a Virtual Assistant is a game changer.

Why don't you share your info and your background and how many deals you have done in the land game.

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

Pressure test is not on the table anymore, mainly due to lender's inability to communicate.My realtor is just trying to work with what we are getting from Chase and trust that the underwriter, appraiser, etc are competent enough to see that this is a good deal.

How do you balance the wants vs. needs game while still enjoying life today?

I am new to the real estate game.

If I leave 20 bucks on the table, I'll sleep like a baby and dream up the next big deal while others are getting audited or sued.