The dream of Raphael Alvarez was to open a salon. His timing, it seemed, could hardly have been worse: Finding a loan was impossible, and his original location was snatched away. But Alvarez still managed to start his small business, without help from a big financial institution, in this desperate economy. Here's how he did it.

It's never easy to decide on buying a home, certainly not in a time of such economic uncertainty. Here, we break down the five essential questions that, once answered, will smooth your progress towards domestic contentedness. Read on to get started.