To be truthful, the BEST way to own property is to WORK HARD FOR IT and buy it without a mortgage.
Don't just work hard, work smart. If all anyone does is work hard, they will be working hard for the rest of their life.
However, great informative post! Keep it up
I agree cash is king, but these methods can be a great way to get there. I bought my first property (a small condo) with some down payment assistance and found a renter in just a couple of weeks. Repeat that a couple of times and before you know it you'll have a great source of residual income.