The biggest consumer audience in TV today is focused on all things home related ? improvements, redos, fix-ups, purchases, thanks to the marketing savvy of "Trading Spaces" (and look-alikes), Home Depot and Lowes. From a personal perspective, you might not have a personal designer in jeans and off-the-shoulder tops (and the handsome handymen with their tool belts) to guide you along the way, but the message is still the same. There is no greater satisfaction than owning your space.

Getting to the decorator stage in your own home starts way before that, however.

Lately, several local leading realtors have stated that parts of the housing market are flattening with quite a number of new units coming on in the next couple of years. This could be the time for you to plan out your housing goal timeframe now.How? Start by making home ownership the all-encompassing most radical goal of your life, making every other goal/purchase secondary. This means that you must think twice about every cent you spend on superfluous items today.

Want those fancy new shoes? Walk away. Want that fancy watch? Buy the cheapest Timex. Need a new suit? Keep the old one super pressed and clean. You are expected to look neat and professional in the workplace, but that only gets you so far. Performance is what counts. Focus on your job ? where can you make strides towards a promotion? Is your employer offering upgrading/training? Develop your personal brand at work ? for instance, become the can-do project person ? the one who delivers on time every time. Then ask for a raise.

Review your entire bank statement, each month every month. What are you spending money on that you don't need? Lunches, snacks, take out dinners, magazines, nails, electronics, partying, cell phone overage. How much are you spending on groceries? Cut back; none of us need the amount of food we consume every day just because it makes us feel good. Think about how much better you'll feel ? pounds lighter, healthier and happier and motivated! If taking the bus is not an option, set up a car pool. Is having a home more important than education spending, or a new fully-loaded options car? All of these are tough decisions and only you can decide.

Look for every opportunity to make extra money and save money. Work a second job. Get rid of debt, especially credit cards. Understand that this life-changing decision may separate you from your current friends and possibly, some relatives. Remind yourself that you want your home more than anything else; they will understand.

Go into this with a realistic attitude because it may take every bit of perseverance (and sacrifice) you have to see it through for many years, but in the end you will have a home. Giving up is not an option.This is the toughest challenge of all. Often, the monthly mortgage payment can be met as it generally approximates monthly rent, but there is little left over for savings. Become creative and consider the following:

Figure out how long it will take to accumulate the down payment. Structure your family budget accordingly and stick to it.

Work with several families to purchase a multi-family home together. Four family incomes may be enough to qualify for a very low down payment. Be sure that each family is credit-worthy, pre-qualifies for a mortgage, and a legal contract of responsibilities is drawn for each family group. Make sure that each breadwinner carries enough life insurance to pay for their share of the mortgage in the event of a premature passing.

Consider providing care for an elderly relative (for a number of years) in return for using part of the equity in the relative's home for your home purchase.

Gear up to seek employment with firms that provide a housing subsidy.

Ask your church for a short-term loan.

Approach your parents (other relatives) for help as guarantors, if they can afford it financially. Then, live up to your commitment; don't leave them short as they near retirement age.

Seek government assistance, if available.What kind of home should you be looking for? The answer: anything that you can afford. Put aside preferences and types, the goal is to get your foot in the door. Once you own, you can always consider using the equity in your first home to find what you really want.

House not in the best of shape? Start the bartering process. Contract with anyone who excels in various constructions fields: volunteer to provide free labour to their project, if they'll return the favour. This is the way it was done in the old days when no one had any extra money, but they believed in a sense of community, sharing and caring. Remember that you can't just pay lip service, you have to perform. There are many stories of relatives who pitched in together and built/renovated their homes.

House too small? If it is all you can afford it, buy it anyway. You can always add on or move on, but you can never recoup the money paid in rent.

If you doubt that statement, run your numbers through the rent versus buy calculator at http://www.tcalc.com/tvwww.dll?LoanVsLoan

Pay for the renovations bit by bit. A favourite story; every Saturday after payday, with whatever cash he had left after paying bills, he would go to the hardware store and buy a few kitchen tiles. This way, he couldn't spend the money on something aimless and the renovation kept moving. Once he finished that project, he proceeded methodically through the rest of the house.

Once you reach this goal, and you will reach it, keep furnishings simple and low cost, at least until you feel totally secure with your debt burden. And don't forget to put aside something for maintenance and condo fees, if necessary.In the United States, employees are allowed to borrow against their pensions for a down payment on a first home without penalty. This scheme is not available in Bermuda, but perhaps, down the road it will be. Every penny counts.