It'd be best to cut all the expenses you can and save up enough cash so you have significant "skin in the game" or even fund the deal yourself. 

That stuff is no skin off of my nose, so however it got fixed was fine.We ran into the problems when we were on the exterior, and she dropped her head at one point and said that she had forgotten to check if the gutters were being maintained.  

If I try to stitch something together without ownership, it will fall apart because people sense that I don't have skin in the game.

I tell him he doesn’t have any skin in this game and he needs to stay out.

If your numbers are on point, you shouldn't be worried about you being stuck with a house you can't afford.So to provide you with value and ACTUALLY solve the underlying issue with the problem you have you simply need to put skin in the game.

In theory you could approach the neighbors before going under contract but they will take your inquiry more seriously if they know you have skin in the game.

There are more than one way to skin it.  

I suggest an aggressive principal pay down so they can have skin in the game.

Unless you are a veteran or using a DPA program all loan products require some skin in the game (down payment) and that is how most people start their portfolios. 

First, you need to stop listenng to your girlfriend, who has zero 'skin in the game'.