A new home is probably the most expensive purchase you'll ever make. At the same time, when you take the time to break down the numbers, you'll probably find that not only can you afford to buy a new home, but that you can do it within your current family budget.

Our experience shows that the principal impediment to someone buying a new home is the down payment. And when you're shopping for a home, you're often asked to put 10 or 20 percent down - a big financial burden for many. After all, not everyone has wealthy parents or a rich uncle to help them out!

You'd be surprised at how low the down payment (and sometimes no down payment!) is needed to move you into a home. And once you've moved in, your mortgage can be less than the rent you're paying now.

Even a buyer with less-than-perfect credit or no down payment can still have what it takes to qualify for a new home.