Book excerpt: An expert guide to the ins and outs of real estate financing Secrets of Buying and Selling Real Estate . . .Without Using Your Own Money! is the definitive insider's guide to traditional and creative (yet legal and ethical!) real estate financing. In understandable, step-by-step language, it walks you through explanations and examples of conventional real estate financing so you understand clearly how most financing works. It examines all the available creative or unusual financing strategies that seasoned investors and homebuyers use every day to buy and finance properties. Drawing on his long experience as a successful real estate investor, Robert Shemin spotlights the advantages and disadvantages of various types of mortgages, terms, and financing strategies so you know all your best options. He also includes informative material on how credit scoring works and understanding credit ratings and credit problems that could scuttle your loan. Offering proven techniques, expert tips, and creative alternatives along the way, Shemin details every important aspect of the financing process, with in-depth discussion of topics such as: * Owners' terms * Contracts for deed, land contracts, and lease options * How to use partners or cosigners * How to get approval after a mortgage company turns you down * How to buy property even if the bank says "no" * Creative ways to obtain down payments, getting the seller to contribute using nonprofit programs