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Before you start looking for a home, figure out what you can realistically afford to pay per month. Check out the market in the area you want to buy. Find out what price houses are going for and what the payments are per month. Remember that you may end up paying a little more per month than someone with a conventional bank loan, so keep that in mind as you figure out what you can afford.

You are going to have to work harder to find a home you can get without a loan. You will have to shop around more. So, concentrate on your needs in housing before your wants. Make a list of the minimum that you will accept in a house. Only write down your essential needs. Do you have to have three bedrooms or can you make do with less? Do you have to have a two-car garage or will a carport do? Do you have to have a single story home for health reasons? How close do you have to be to a school?

Make a separate list of the things you want. Wants might include things like a pool or hot tub, a walk-in closet, wooden floors, a deck, or a certain type of architecture. It would be nice if you can find a home with some of your wants, but to begin with, concentrate on finding a home that meets your needs. Often many of these things can be added to a home later.

Also make a third list of things you absolutely do not want in a home, such as: too many stairs to climb, a fixer-upper, certain areas of town you dislike, a location too close to a freeway, or a location too far from the center of town.

You may not be in a position to be too picky. Perhaps you can make do with a smaller home for now, while you establish your credit and get equity in the smaller home. Then you will be in a position to trade that home in for a bigger home.

Re-establishing your financial footing is not as difficult as it used to be, but it is impossible if you attempt to buy more house than makes sense. Be conservative!

From the book "Buying a Home When You Have Bad Credit-- 12 Ways to Purchase a House When You Can't Get a Home Loan" by Alexis Dey. ' 2005-6 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. http://I-can-buy.com