From their perspective it means you're not willing to put any skin in the game and the risk is all on them.

Without skin in the game, why would an agent work hard to close a deal where he/she is not getting paid.  

My other thought is that if I rent somewhere for now, and then use that money as “skin in the game” for the hard money lender I’m preapproved with, to flip a property, I’ll have more cash to invest in either a duplex or vacation rental.

I think you need to find a deal with more meat and take extra caution when using OPM.You should also have some kind of skin in the game, even if it is just $5k in your proposed partner scenario.

Most investors will want you to have some skin in the game, but you can raise the majority of the dp from them.

It would be much less skin in the game to start off and allows you to learn the basic ins and outs of multiple tenants, working with a property manager, repairs, contracting estimates etc.

The more experience, skin and equity, the better your position to negotiate the best possible rate.Underwriting is inconsistent and borrowers have stated that one rep will not like a deal but then a supervisor might be just fine with it.

I did not really find many bad reviews, no glowing ones either.

Our skin in the game will be the ownership of the building whose purchase price is $225k.

That's what people need - a sense of belongingness (via Maslow's hierarchy of needs).I would encourage you to 1) have thick skin 2) do easy things and build goodwill + momentum, and 3) use the DVP change formula at all time (check out: http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/2997/blog_posts/24776-how-using-the-dvp-change-formula-can-help )