Between small down payment requirements, gifts from relatives, down payment assistance programs, and even taking money from your 401k program for down payment, most people CAN make home ownership work.
Lenders expect homebuyers to have enough money available to make the
down payment of
between 10 and 20 percent of the asking price for the house - though FHA and VA loans require
smaller down payment (0 to 5 percent) and to pay their share of the closing costs (3 percent to 6 percent of the loan amount).