Credit is a little tighter than it used to be, but if you believe that you have to have 20% down and perfect credit to buy a home, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Bank loans are available with as little as zero down and a funding fee that can be rolled into the loan that are guaranteed through the Veterans Administration, for veterans and active-duty military. According to Bankrate.com, the funding fee varies from 2.15 percent to 3.3 percent, according to whether or not a veteran served in the National Guard or the regular military.

The Navy Federal Credit Union offers 100 percent financing to qualified members who buy homes they intend to occupy. Navy Federal eligibility is restricted to members of the military, some civilian employees of the military and U.S. Department of Defense, and family members, explains Bankrate, which makes it the largest credit union in the nation. And the funding fee is a low 1.75 percent.

The no-down-payment USDA Rural Development mortgage guarantee program is a well-kept secret. Loans aren't just for farmland, but for homes in areas with small populations, many of which are near major metros.