Offer the downpayment in 5 years. Same as No money down. Cost’s you nothing to make lots of offers, make offers of 60 percent of the asking price . That’s how you find what many call “a motivated seller”. Btw, hows your credit? Before you can make offers you should make your credit perfect. Fixing bad credit is another subject.

Yes It all depends on your credit rating

When you make an offer, put on the offer that seller pays closing costs. If the price is right for them, they will go for it. You might have to pay a little more that way, but it is financed. After I made my last deal, I had trouble with the lender. I changed lenders, but we kept the same deal, so I ended up with $1500 (under the table, but totally legal) in my pocket to fix up the house.

You need to get a real estate agent. Stick to one of the big companies. You also need to find a lender and try to get prequalified. Lending Tree.com *****! That is why I had problems–they didn’t understand that we build houses on piers in Louisiana because we get water here (and they freaked about the metal roofs). They also made me pay for the appraisal up front (never did that before), probably because they are used to rejecting loans. I ended up with a local lender and a better deal.

The drawback is that you usually need to put down “earnest money.” Around here it is usually $500, and the agent holds that. If you get the house, you get it back. If you back out of the contract, the seller gets to keep it. You don’t pay that unless you sign a contract (you make an offer, they accept).

An agent can really help you with your questions, and they don’t charge unless you buy the house. Then they get a cut of the money that the seller makes.