Putting some skin in the game is always preferred.

This is a BIG issue when it comes to Realtors screening tenants as they have NO SKIN in the game, as after they get their commission they won't have to be accountable for tenant nonperformance issues!

Vet sponsors hard: track record across cycles, fee structure, downside scenarios, investor communications, skin in the game, and third-party references.Leveraging those gains into local rentals (especially mid-to-long-term) is a great next move and gives you more hands-on control.

I am doing my research on this market,  is anyone here familiar or have any skin in the game?

From a lender's perspective, you sound look like a very risky borrower.Hard Money is an short-term alternative to traditional bank loans and is more suited to rehabs and flips, but any lender is: 1) Going to underwrite the deal to make sure the numbers make sense, there is a clear upside, and plenty of wiggle room (and thus will expect you to come to them with a very clear picture of exactly what needs to be done, including a scope of work, detailed costs, and contingencies), and 2) Expect you to have skin in the game. 25% is pretty reasonable, actually.

A couple of other things I’ve found valuable to look at are:Track record through cycles (how they’ve managed deals in both good and bad markets).Transparency and reporting (how proactive they are with communication, especially when things aren’t going perfectly).Alignment of interests (skin in the game, fee structure, co-investment).In my experience, those have been big predictors of how well a sponsor actually delivers in the long run.

If you can find a property that is in need of a lot scrape or retrofit, but is in proximity to a grocery center with good access and visibility, their is likely several ways to "skin that cat" from a build to suit to a ground lease, etc.  

What's your skin in the game?

Why he wants me to have some skin in the game when he's otherwise just going to give everything away I couldn't tell you.

It can be "little" down or "someone else's money down" but don't make the mistake of thinking you don't have to have some skin in the game.