How Much Should You Put Down On A Home?

by Debbie Goldberg 12/27/2018

You may have heard that you will need 20 percent of the purchase price of a home to put down in order to buy it. As the prices of homes continue to rise. 20 percent of the purchase price of any home may not seem like a small feat to save up. It’s not impossible to buy a home. You may be able to get around the 20 percent rule in a variety of ways. Keep in mind that putting down as large of a down payment as you can will help you to land the home of your dreams a bit faster.

The 20 percent down rule is sort of a myth. While the more you have saved up, the better your chances of standing out among other buyers are. You can still get a mortgage with less than 20 percent down from most banks. The drawback in not putting down 20 percent on a home is that you will need mortgage insurance (also known as PMI). Mortgage insurance is necessary if you put less than 20 percent down because the lender wants protection in case the home is foreclosed on due to a lack of payments.

All About PMI Payments

If you do put less than 20 percent down on a home, your PMI payments won’t go on forever. Once your loan is paid down a bit, you’ll be free and clear of PMI payments. As a rule, if the loan-to-value-ratio reaches 80 percent, you can ask your lender to cancel the insurance for you. When the loan-to-value ratio reaches 78 percent, the lender will automatically cancel the PMI. This is a welcome decrease in expenses since PMI insurance can add up to be hundreds of dollars per month.

Finding A Way Around 20 Percent Down

Before you even decide to buy a house, you should look at financing options. There are certain programs that are available to you to help. If you know about them ahead of time, you’ll be able to take advantage of them.

Government Programs

Many different government agencies have programs available to help people get a home easier. These programs will provide home loans with a low interest rate and little to no down payment. The downside to these programs is that many of them actually require you to purchase private mortgage insurance as a contingency to get the loan. You’ll need to plan for these extra expenses. There are even grants available to help you with your down payment. Check in your state or local HUD office for details on various programs that can assist you with your down payment on your first home. Through a bit of savings and research, owning your first home can be possible with or without 20 percent down.

Down Payment

Mortgage Down Payment

About the Author

Debbie Goldberg

I'm a full time Realtor with over 30 years of experience yet young enough to embrace today's ever-changing scope of marketing and technology. Having grown up in Connecticut and moved many times (too many to count!) I can empathize with today's buyers and sellers. Strictly maintaining ethical standards and being a fierce advocate on behalf of my clients are things I take very seriously. As a buyer, you can expect me to listen to and evaluate your real estate wants and needs. I can assist in explaining relevant forms, agreements, and closing procedures. I will guide you through the process of finding the right home, negotiating your offer, adhering to all contract dates and terms as well as final walk through and closing procedures. As a seller, I will listen to and evaluate your goals, needs, and timing in order to properly price your home to get the maximum exposure needed to attract the right buyers. In addition to negotiating on your behalf, I will make sure we communicate throughout the entire process as we navigate the contract terms, finance and inspection contingencies, as well as all closing procedures. I was born in Japan, grew up in Hamden and lived in New York, Ohio and Southern California before settling down in New Haven county to raise two kids, two dogs and a cat. I'm passionate about good food and love to bake. Some of my free time has been spent volunteering at Temple Beth Sholom, a synagogue where my family has been members for over 40 years. I also spend time at Tower One/Tower East, an assisted living center in New Haven where my mother-in-law now resides. 30 years of helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals has given me the peace of mind to know that what I do everyday matters. If you are thinking of buying or selling please keep me in mind.