There are many reasons people want a home with the most frequent responses being a place of their own, to raise their family, share with their friends and feel safe and secure. These are all strong motivations fueling the American Dream of owning your own home.

The motivation is so dominant that buyers are willing to make sacrifices to have their dream come true. According to the 2014 National Association of REALTORS® Home Buyers and Sellers Survey, 72% of first-time buyers cut spending on luxury or non-essential items. They also cut spending on entertainment, clothes and even cancelled vacation plans.

The value of getting their own home is more important than the immediate gratification of things that are considered less important. While qualifying guidelines were increased last year, there are still more buyers purchasing homes at near record-low mortgage rates.