Like Jeff said, get a nice chunk of cash down, at least 10%+ minimum to make them have some skin in the game :lol:

Reason I ask if you are getting a  loan they will want to make sure you have some skin in the game.

Any lender will want your skin in the game. 

Now maybe I'm just wanting a perfect world, and need to give in to some imperfections in the deal, but it seems that the places would yield higher values if they're shown with fresh paint, sparkling clean, and no junk piled in the bedrooms.

This may not work in your market, but the point is the bank dud a portfolio loan for me because of my skin in the game even though I was not bankable at the time.

Basically carrying the entire amount with no skin in the game from the buyer?

That can get expensive FAST, when they have no skin in the game!

But in my opinion, you don't need as much money to acquire a property to hold, where as flipping, you need some skin in the game or OPM.Great debate and arguments here on this thread - Very proud of most of the input from our multi-dimensional community. 

I think you need to have more of your own "skin in the game".

Having money in hand ("skin in the game") is going to get you better rates, help you access more financing options than if you have non, and is going to make you work harder and smarter because we're always more careful about spending our own money.