I suggest a good dose of C combined with B (cause that's inevitable).Just concentrate on #9 and #10 - real estate investing is a long game (at least IMHO).

But if that is stopping you, then this game may not be for you in the long run anyway.

Yes I do have a plan and my strategy is the slow game, buy & hold.

Has to be the right fit of course and both partners need to have some skin in the game but win-win all the way.  

Then go inside as a customer. 

Real estate investment is a quantity game. 

I was trying to consider some factors that may come into play - from what I understand you can put as little as ~3.5% down under an FHA loan - will it be more beneficial for me to put "more skin in the game" with the largest possible down payment I can make (say, closer to 10-15%)?

I have not really heard any bad stories about, in fact it has been the opposite, apparently their property management company is great and their customer service is really good.

I have somewhat of a game plan and outline of what I'm wanting to do.

Irony of ironies that folks using hard money loans are paying for their own possible foreclosure, but this is also the reason that frequent repeat customers of a hard money lender typically pay less in points as the relationship progresses.