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6. Seller-carried second mortgages. Some banks will allow you to have as little as 5% into a home purchase, but will then only loan you 80%. The seller can take payments on a second mortgage from you for other 15%.
7. State housing programs. Almost all states have some sort of financing help in form of a loan-guarantee program or outright loans for low-income buyers.
8. Family loans. It may not be out of charity that a brother or a friend lends you money to buy a home. A 7% return might look awfully good if their money is sitting in bank at 2%.
9. Manufacturer loans. Some manufactured-home companies are arranging financing with 5% or less down for their buyers. They must feel their money is secure, since a good modular on a piece of property is nothing like a mobile home on a rental lot.
10. Credit cards. This is a risky one, but if you have a low-interest credit card, you can use it to come up with downpayment, especially if you can pay it off soon with a coming tax refund, for example. Banks generally won't allow this, but you can combine this with seller financing.
Are there more ways to approach real estate financing? You bet. This was just to get you thinking.
Steve Gillman has invested real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com