Recommend using the $5000 ( skin in the game) as a down payment on a lease option or rent to buy deal that you analyze will bring a positive cash flow after all cost and expenses to get your first rental home under contract.

We also work with individual investors to place them in smaller deals to build capital, so there are several ways to skin the proverbial cat.

You are in better position than most since you can put some skin in the game.

@Chris Gravitt - You can finance 100% of construction using the value of the lot(s) as your "skin in the game".    

(about 200K in equity) When I bought purchased, I barley made the DTI requirements with the skin of my teeth as I only bring in about 35K a year at the time.

If you think about it, by me getting paid on the back end, I have skin in the game too.

Am ready to move into the buy and flip mode and would welcome the opportunity to get my feet wet plus would also have some skin in the game (so to speak). 

Generally, a down payment is required because lenders want you to have skin in the game.

The private money lender will still want to see your own money in the down payment, ie skin in the game. 

Some JV folks will want you to have some skin in the game, and if you don't have much will want to take title to the property, not just a 1st position mortgage.