Any mortgage lender, at that value level, is going to require you to have some skin in the game.

If you pay for the purchase and only want rehab funding, you will have what they want, skin in the game and a vested interest in the project's success.

Of course, you still want them to have some skin in the game.But if you're going to give up $100/mo, or $1200 for the year, why not give back $500ish in deposit, which might help them out after xmas?

It's your decision but as long as there are no other issues and as long as the colour of her money is green why care if there are no other issues.You need to grow thicker skin.

There are plenty of ways to skin a cat.I just want to save you some stress.

So don't assume that because your skin is white (assuming it is), he doesn't think you are trash while he and "his kind" (which might not just be race, but political affiliation, driving a US v foreign car, etc etc) is God's unique special unicorn who can do no wrong. 

Others are possibly becuase they lack my experience or have higher LTV's and less skin in the game.

Lots of ways to skin the old cat so to speak, but flipping a land contract isn't a good way to go, IMO. :)

You are left with having to ask the applicant what is there and then you have to decide whether you believe them or not.Always pull the credit don't rely on a thumbs up or thumbs down from a third party who doesn't have any skin in the game.

Maybe you need to show more skin on your pics?