From the mouth of Barbara Corcoran... Financing Requirements in Co-ops

Q2 - I am a first time buyer looking to buy a coop apartment and have good credit and a decent salary. I only have 10% to put down but many places require 20% down. Is there any way around that?

A - No, there isn't. Coops are a different animal than single-family homes, and they create their own rules that you have to follow as a buyer. These days it's almost impossible to get 90% financing anyway, so think about buying a smaller place.