You will grow thick skin quickly.

My skin is in this game. 

Hard money works, but it’s pricey for new investors, so I led with credibility: a simple one‑page deal story, conservative numbers, my skin in the game, clear exit, and consistent updates.

I'll look more into hybrid/segmented special assessments.You'd think lenders would be mostly okay with these, since while it's true that only a portion of the units are responsible for repayment, the loan amount itself (their risk/skin in the game) is lowered by the same factor (slashed in half in my case).I know this is silly and I probably won't go down that route, but part of me is thinking, "I'll be the lender myself - I'll give them a less predatory (but still win-win) interest rate - if anyone has to collect interest here, why not it be me?"

This is the prospect's skin in the game. 

Fix it fast: lead with a crisp one‑pager showing deal, numbers, security, and payback; put some of your own skin in; state risks and how you mitigate; then give consistent updates.

100%, "no skin in the game"? 

@Erik Roth - Your point on a lender justifiably wanting the borrower to have decent credit and some skin-in-the-game is valid - and nothing in my comment suggested otherwise.

That idea that you can do real estate with no experience and no skin in the game was the beginning of the cycle we are watching now. 

I would want my son to have some skin in the game regarding down payment and on the other hand if I was him I wouldn't want to do a live-in reno and have to pay rent.