How Much Do You Need For a Down Payment?
Q: How much money do I need for a down payment on a house?
One of the biggest upfront costs of purchasing a home is the down payment. Lenders look closely at the amount of money you put down because it represents your initial investment and goes toward the total cost of the property. But just how much should you budget for this crucial component of your homebuying costs?
Many homeowners arrange for 20% down to avoid paying private mortgage insurance. This means that to purchase a $300,000 home, for example, you would need $60,000 for a 20% down payment. However, 20% down is just a rule of thumb. Depending on your credit profile, income, and mortgage terms, you may be able to put down less.
For borrowers with excellent credit scores, many conventional loan programs allow for down payments as low as 3%. So, on that same $300,000 home, you'd only need $9,000 down. Federal Housing Administration loans have down payment minimums at 3.5% of the purchase price. First-time homebuyers and low-to-moderate-income borrowers may also qualify for 100% U.S. Department of Agriculture or Veterans Affairs financing, both of which require zero down payment.
But don't just look at the down payment. You also need enough cash reserves for closing costs, such as lender fees, title insurance, prepaid taxes, and home insurance. Closing costs typically run between 2% and 5% of the loan amount. So, for a $300,000 home, you may need another $6,000 to $15,000 on top of the down payment to cover these costs.
Your down payment depends heavily on factors such as your credit and financing path. However, in general, having at least a 3% to 5% down payment plus enough for closing costs and prepaid costs is advisable to avoid high mortgage insurance charges. Plus, the higher your down payment, the lower your overall monthly costs will be.
Source: Nerdwallet.com |