Make sure you have tough skin and serious about your business.

Thank YouThe seller's commitment to the deal should match your own.If you've committed in the purchase agreement or addendums to a 90 or 120 day period, do your inspection after seller acceptance (and release the associated contingency) vs. in three months after bank acceptance, and offer a reasonable EMD , the listing should be changed from "active" or whatever similar terminology is used in you local MLS.If you don't have skin in the game because you can exit the deal at any time, didn't put a significant EMD at risk, or have an inspection contingency that hangs out there until after the bank accepts, then the seller is facing a large risk that you'll just walk if you find a better deal, even after several months of them not marketing their home.

Skin like a Rhino and are walking talking real estate stats, know must contracts upside down and are a textbook when it comes to inspections, permits, building codes, farming, etc!

I think it is a great idea to have some skin in the game but if you leverage might open you up to do a better deal.  

Scott,If you are dealing with a bank they would feel comfort if you had skin in the game.Joe GoreDallas, Texas

@Brian Crimmins I've done both VA loans and MFR purchases with clients.VA loans:  100% financing makes it easy to buy, but gives you zero skin in the game aside of a minimal ($500) EMD. 

There are some really thin skinned people in this world.

Invest 10 to 20% "skin in the game" in our apartment syndications, raise the rest of the equity through accredited investors and have the lender pick up the remaining 80% of the stack. 

I have worked on more then 17 acquisitions to date using traditional partner of GP + LP structures and on this one I am hoping to be the only one in on the deal or have more skin in the game but am not liquid enough to get the deal done on my own. 

That said, I see time and again, sellers that have no idea how to run their park, and suffer the consequences.I think it can be a great industry, but you have to have thick skin, patience, and conservative numbers.Roby