Although most people still don't have access to the amount of cash you would need to buy a home, alternate options to the mortgage are starting to be explored. With the increased use of the internet to search for your new home, and the increased involvement of the buyer and seller of the house, direct communication between the two parties has never been better.

Buyers and sellers are now communicating together to see if they can reach a compromise for the exchange for the house which doesn't always include financial payment. These deals are becoming increasingly creative and can accommodate a whole host of requirements for either or both parties.

The most widely used alternative to the traditional mortgage is that of the seller mortgage. Most buyers, particularly first time buyers, require a substantial down payment towards the purchase of their new home. This is usually a percentage of the overall price and is 10% as standard. The cost of houses in the UK has risen hugely over the past decade and so this can be as much as ?18,000 in some areas of the country for a small two bedroomed terraced house. Given that many buyers have to rent their current home, savings are not always easy to come by. Should they wish to buy a house from someone who has no outstanding mortgage to pay a seller mortgage agreement is a possibility.

The seller mortgage involves the original owner remortgaging the property and then setting up an amortized loan for the new buyer. This is a complicated loan but has been made much easier lately as it can be set up online and does not necessarily need an experienced and expensive accountant to work out the details.