Almost everyone is overwhelmed by the legal and financial red tape they believe surrounds the purchase of a home. So, the easy way out is to just keep paying rent. We have a better solution for your future! 

• Most people actually qualify for a 3 percent down or less mortgage but don't realize it. Some people can actually qualify for a ZERO down payment mortgage!
   
• There are special government programs that help first-time homebuyers come up with a down payment.
   
• The average mortgage payment costs about the same as the average rent payment. For example, if you are paying rent of $650 per month, you could be paying that amount toward owning a home of your own worth $77,500. This home would probably provide more space and privacy than what you now have.
   
• When a survey of renters was conducted, 77 percent said that the biggest reason they don't even check into owning their own home is their fear of feeling obligated to buy - or worse, being hounded by salespeople.
   
• Remember, you may not see rates this low again. For example, if a "renter" recently saw a house selling for $125,000 and has $20,000 in savings to use as a down payment; a $105,000 30-year mortgage at 7.5 percent would cost about $733 a month. This person may feel as though $883 is a stretch right now, but if they  wait, and prices and mortgage rates rebound to the levels of five years ago, the exact same home might cost $150,000, and could be paying a 9 percent interest rate.
   
• Renting deprives you of big tax breaks. Home ownership is one of the last remaining tax shelters. In the example above, the renter would be able to deduct about $9,300 in mortgage interest and real estate taxes on their annual tax return. The renter earns $30,000 a year, which puts them in the combined 31 percent federal and state tax bracket. Therefore, their tax savings could come to about $2,900 a year, or almost an additional $250 in take-home pay each month. If they rent, no tax breaks will be provided.
   
• Finally, between 1968 and 1992, the median price of a single-family home rose an average of 6 percent a year, according to the National Association of Realtors; over longer periods, the increase has been between 3 and 4 percent. That's great - if you buy early and hang on to your purchase. If you don't, you'll have to keep up with those increases through other investments, which is generally difficult to do.