There's more than one way to skin a cat."

Your $3 to $5K down payment does not equate to 10% down and most sellers would be more comfortable with more skin in the game on your part.

This is going to be a very blunt "Come to Jesus" post, if your skin is feeling thin today then please stop reading here. 

Yes, grow a thicker skin.

Exactly right @Wade Sikkink, @Troy Feldman any investor who is smart with money ain't gonna trust a guy with no skin in the deal! 

I think it's important that you have some skin in the game, just to put that out there.  

I thought this was amazing, as typically they want to see "your own cash" in the deal as skin in the game.  

In my experience success in real estate, whether as an investor or provider, requires a “thick skin”.  

Aside from using better criteria to underwrite their loans (increased DSCR ratios, require higher occupancy levels, no cash-out, skin in the game, pre-sales, etc.), lenders now want the borrower to commit to the loan by personally guaranteeing it.

To put it simply, I’ve been told that I do not have enough skin in the game myself in order to cash out some equity.We bought the seller financed with only a $30,000 down payment.