Different times.....
Home prices have made it necessary to get a mortgage....
It used to be banks wouldn't talk to you unless you had 20% down....
In 1950 my grandfather bought the plot and built his house piece by piece paying friends along the way to help. His neighbors were like "Hey Joe why don't you get the bank to help?" A few years later Joe had a house built and no mortgage. His neighbor lost his job and his house.
Yes this is an extreme example but it's an example of how times have changed.
A mortgage is the only personal debt you really can't do without.
Alan