If you've found a house that you really like but you can't afford to buy then consider this idea.

If you like the house enough to buy it but you can't afford it now then rent the house. Ask the landlord if he will provide you an option to buy at a later date. If the landlord gives you such an option then you will have a fixed period of time in which to exercise the option. Exercising the option means that you go forward and actually purchase the house from the landlord.

Expect to pay the landlord for an option to buy. You should expect to pay because the landlord can't sell the house to a third party as long as the option is in effect. For all practical purposes an option to buy means that the landlord's hands are tied and the property can't be put on the market.

Rentals with an option to buy are especially good in real estate markets where the prices are falling. In this case make sure your option stipulates not a specific price for the property but a price based on fair market value at the time the option is exercised. This lets you benefit from the reduction in prices. But again, expect to pay for this feature because the landlord will be frozen into holding on to a property declining in value.