Soaring property tax and homeowners' insurance costs have made homeownership less affordable than any time since the 1980s, Bernice Ross writes
With the average homeowner spending $442 a month on property taxes and insurance, real estate agents and mortgage lenders are urged to help their clients shop for better deals
Do the research, then stick with what the numbers tell you
Some say potential for disaster is too high to justify
New variables make long-term strategy a safer bet
Higher credit requirements put many at disadvantage