Is 5–10% Down Enough on a House? Remember, if you're a first-time home buyer, a 5–10% down payment is fine. Keep in mind, any down payment less than 20% will come with that monthly PMI fee, which will increase your monthly mortgage payments.
If you put down 5%, you pay $10,450 total in PMI ($118.75/month for 88 months). If you put down 10%, you pay $7,200 total in PMI ($112.50/month for 64 months). So that right there is a 'savings' of $3,250. Your interest savings will be even greater.
For example, first-time homebuyers and buyers with low to moderate incomes could qualify for a fixed-rate conventional loan with a 3 percent down payment. Some lenders require a minimum of 5 percent. Keep in mind, too, that in order to avoid PMI, you'll need to put down at least 20 percent.
Yes, you can buy a house with 10% down or less in California. According to the National Association of Realtors, first-time buyers often pay an average of 6% as a down payment for a house or condo.
A larger down payment means it's more likely you'll receive a mortgage since you are less risk to a lender. It also means you will own more of the value of your home, and a lower loan-to-value ratio (LTV) may help you qualify for lower interest rates and fewer fees.
If you put a large chunk of it into your down payment, you may not have as much available in case of emergencies. You may also need to be more careful with your monthly budgeting. In some cases, this can be very inconvenient. The money cannot be invested elsewhere.
How much is a down payment on a 200K house? A 20% down payment on a 200K house is $40,000. A 5% down payment is $10,000, and a 3.5% is $7,000. Talk with various lenders to see what you might qualify for.
Downsides of a 20% Down Payment
Won't provide as much benefit when rates are low: If mortgage rates are low, you could potentially put that money to better use by investing it or paying down high-interest debt. That could be the case even if you have to pay PMI.
A down payment that's too small could leave you with a home loan that stretches your budget. A large down payment could deplete your cash, leaving you without the funds for home maintenance or unexpected repairs. Understanding how down payments work will help you determine how much you should put down on a house.
If you're wondering what percentage you should put down on a house, 20% down is the rule of thumb, but there is no one-size-fits-all figure. For example, some loan programs require a down payment as little as 3% or 5%, and some don't require a down payment at all.
On a $200,000, 30-year mortgage with a 6% fixed interest rate, your monthly payment would come out to $1,199 — not including taxes or insurance. But this can vary greatly depending on your insurance policy, loan type, down payment size, and other factors.
What income is required for a 200k mortgage? To be approved for a $200,000 mortgage with a minimum down payment of 3.5 percent, you will need an approximate income of $62,000 annually. (This is an estimated example.)
Given a choice, some buyers may choose to put down 20 percent, but others may not. "Especially as rates remain historically low with a buoyant stock market, there are many people who want to take advantage of getting maximum financing to be able to put their assets to work elsewhere," explains Alvarez.
In other words, if your monthly gross income is $10,000 or $120,000 annually, your mortgage payment should be $2,800 or less. Lenders usually require housing expenses plus long-term debt to less than or equal to 33% or 36% of monthly gross income.
Before buying a home, have at least 30% of the value of the home saved in cash or low-risk assets — 20% for the down payment (to get the lowest mortgage rate and avoid private mortgage insurance) and 10% as a healthy cash buffer.
A $50,000 down payment is a good down payment for a $350,000 house. It represents a 14.28% down payment, which is considered to be a good amount by most lenders. A larger down payment will lower your monthly mortgage payments and your overall interest costs.
Although putting down 20% to avoid mortgage insurance is wise if affordable, it's a myth that this is always necessary. In fact, most people opt for a much lower down payment. Choosing a smaller down payment over becoming “house poor” from a 20% down payment is often the better choice.
The difference is that buyers with low down payments are sometimes seen as riskier than those who put down more. Buyers with a 10-20 percent down payment will potentially have an easier time qualifying for a loan, and most likely, they will financially be better able to handle unforeseen inspection or appraisal issues.
You're making a big financial mistake.
If you followed conventional advice and aimed to put down 20% as a down payment, you would need $75,000 saved in order to purchase a home before even considering closing costs. For a typical first-time homebuyer, that could take almost eight years!
How much house can I afford with 40,000 a year? With a $40,000 annual salary, you should be able to afford a home that is between $100,000 and $160,000. The final amount that a bank is willing to offer will depend on your financial history and current credit score.
Assuming you have enough in savings to cover the down payment, closing costs and cost of regular upkeep, yes, you probably could afford a $200K home on a $50K annual salary. Using our example above, the monthly mortgage payment on a $200K home, including taxes and insurance, would be about $1,300.
How Much Should I Pay for a Down Payment? Aim for a down payment that's 20% or more of the total home price—that's $40,000 for a $200,000 house. This minimum is partially based on guidelines set by government-sponsored companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.