I will go with an experienced lender any day because they have a reputation to protect in addition to skin in the game.

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

The place is a mess and needs major, major work — bugs cracks in the walls, significant water damage in the kitchen floor that has led to dry-rot in floor joists, etc.

We have skin in the game as it's "our house" in the eyes of the Hard Money Lender and plan to be able to flip it within 3 months.

A variant on options 1 & 4 is to take out a heloc instead. that way you have dry powder ready to use for another RE acquisition, and you’re not paying interest until you buy.

Again, other might feel differently here.b) Skin in the game: as a conservative investor, I understand that the dirty secret of industries that the waterfall compensation is in the line with me and incentivizes sponsors to take more risk.

lots of nice guys doing it around here but the good deals seem to be drying up from them in my opinion, but hey maybe i am too much of a cheapskate.

My name is Patrick, and I started my real estate career a little over a year ago by getting into short-term rentals near my house in Dry Ridge, KY.

Conventional loans can be like 5% down, but when it's on a rental property, they will want 15% or more down.The down payment represents skin in the game so you don't just walk away after things go bad and they make the lender feel comfortable because if you walk away, they can recover at least whatever equity is in the property.So, I also suggest looking into down payment assistance programs because first time home buyers may qualify for grants that cover your closing costs/down payment.If you have useful skills that are in the accounting, legal, or construction fields, maybe you could leverage that into a partnership where someone else can handle the finances.

Since about August of 2018 the leads have really dried up and I cant understand why to be honest.