We want to buy our first house, but our credit is ~600 and I am a full-time-parent. My wife works full time and makes ~$24,000 a year. We want to buy a foreclosure or a fixer-upper for $30,000 to $80,000 and sweat some equity, what are our options... if any? We live in Massachusetts. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP

In addition to the initial answer given, if you're looking for a fixer upper, make sure and ask about the 203k loan. It's a purchase loan that also gives you funds to fix up the property all in one loan. It's an FHA product. It's perfect for homes that need TLC.

Have you tried to contact a local loan officer or mortgage company? Generally you need a 620+ fico for conventional loans with 10% down, or 640+ fico for fha loans with 3.5% down. There are some programs that go down into the 500 fico range, but vary by lender and state. Also to be qualified, your debt including mortgage, tax and insurance and all other credit debt needs to be less than 45% of your income. Also, your income needs to be verified for 2 years, and your credit history should be free of foreclosure, and BK for 3 years. Contact a lender in your town and start from there. There is no cost to apply for loans.