[BR3W CITY]

Sometimes its worth checking your local municipal rules and land types etc. I know some guys who live more rurally have loans available for Farms (i.e. building a barn, even on a hobby farm) or who have logging land (garage for wood storage/drying) who can qualify for different loan types and government and municipal breaks (taxes, permits etc).

Otherwise im in the pay-as-you-go camp, so allow me a story:
I go to Jamaica whenever possible, and I've had plenty of late night (and heck, mid afternoon) long conversations about life with locals I've befriended outside the resorts. Culturally, Jamaicans exist in a world where "modern" credit is still something that only exists for the wealthy...most other folks operate on cash, trade, or personal credit (i.e. tabs) like we would back in the pre-plastic era.
When a Jamaican man decides to marry and build a home, he is often doing so brick-by-brick. If he has some money coming in, and is liked in his community, he buys as much material as he can afford and relies on friends and labor trade to build his walls. If he only gets 2 rooms done, then he has a 2 bedroom house until he can afford the rest. Sometimes, he may run out in the middle, and only have a few windows until he can afford the rest.

The reason I say all this, is that when a Jamaican man finishes his home, he OWNS every stone, nail, and board. If he dies tomorrow, his family owns the same. Yea, its a romantic thought that is less practical in our society, but the ability to live without while building your dream is an incredibly powerful bit of mental Ju-Jitsu.