96.5% is still an A!

Mortgage rates were recently at, and are still very near right now, 40 year lows. Money is still available. And as the first statement alludes, it is very cheap money. There is also an incorrect believe that this cheap money requires you to put 20% down payment. As I just said in that sentence it's an incorrect belief. You can get this cheap money with as little as 3.5% down payment. Admittedly it's not a 100% financing. Which is good (more later on that). But last time I checked 96.5% isn't too far from 100%. In fact in the schools I went to both would be considered an "A."
It is good that the 100% stuff is gone. Home ownership is not an entitlement. Home ownership is a right. However it is a right that we have to earn. A goal and a privilege that must be striven to be attained, and maintained with focus and appreciation. Houses aren't like free balloons that politicians hand out at the neighborhood fourth of July celebration. Houses and homes are something that people should have to dream about. They should have to SAVE money to be able to buy their home. They should really really, and one more for good measure, really appreciate what it took to get into that home. And that appreciation should become an ownership of the responsibility to keep and improve that home.
If every homeowner was able to take that mentality to homeownership than we will go a long to way to putting our country and economy in a better place.