Ceteris paribus, a person's motivation can be determined by how much skin they have in the game. 

It takes some thick skin and fist biting, but treating tenants with respect, no matter how nasty they get, having the "customer is right" (within reason of course) and  excellent customer service PM companies are outnumbered by the PM companies that want to fight with tenants.

The interest rate is a ridiculous 7% (which I'm working to refi now).A potential capital partner (old Army buddy) from Colorado says he will match my equity if I agree to sell it to an LLP we plan to establish (skin in the game).  

My pool is always sparkling clean and I charge for usage to offset the gas costs. 

The best thing you can do starting out is build a strong team around you, and partner up with an experienced investor while you get some skin in the game for your first few investments.

I'd expect my partner to have some skin in the game. 

You either need to be in the market where you are investing or have a trusted 'boots on the ground' partner (who preferably has skin in the game) to be able to invest remotely.

For the experienced multifamily investor:Assuming all systems are good and there is little to no deferred maintenance what sort of value do you think a stabilized, brick skinned quadraplex with slanted roof would be worth in a solid "C+" area with shopping (WalMart, Kroger, etc) and public transportation within walking distance and major employment centers nearby?

Just think, $25,000 which is the cost of Mastery is really a down payment or "skin" in the game when going for Hard Money on a Flip deal.

There's no guarantee your partner, whose only skin in the game is reputation, won't rip you off, head to Vegas and go on one heck of a bender.