Buying a home has been part of the American dream since the end of World War II. In fact, the postwar economic boom was largely responsible for much of the housing construction explosion that occurred from the 1950s through the 1970s. Yet today, the struggling economy that followed the housing crash of 2007-2008 has made dreams of home ownership dim for many Americans, especially the first time home buyer. Those with bad credit are finding it especially difficult to secure the funding they need to purchase.