Creative Ways to Come up with a Down Payment on a Home | Logix Smarter Banking (2024)

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Creative Ways to Come up with a Down Payment on a Home | Logix Smarter Banking? ›

Potential homeowners can come up with the down payment by getting a part-time job or borrowing from family. Family members can also contribute gifts of lump sums of cash, though there are tax considerations worth noting for gifts. Downsizing to a smaller apartment—saving rent—can save thousands of dollars per year.

Potential homeowners can come up with the down payment by getting a part-time job or borrowing from family. Family members can also contribute gifts of lump sums of cash, though there are tax considerations worth noting for gifts. Downsizing to a smaller apartment—saving rent—can save thousands of dollars per year.

Traditionally, a mortgage down payment is at least 5% of a home's sale price. House down payments are often, but not always, part of the normal homebuying process. If a buyer put 10-20% down, they may be more committed to the home and less likely to default.

Two types of government-sponsored loans – VA loans and USDA loans – allow you to buy a home without a down payment. Each of the two loans has a very specific set of criteria you must meet to qualify for a zero-down mortgage.

USDA and VA mortgages are two types of loans that don't usually require a down payment. Some alternatives to no-down payment mortgages include low-down payment loans, such as a conventional or FHA loan, or getting gift money from family or friends.

If you don't have enough in your piggy bank for a 20 percent down payment, you might be a candidate for a piggyback loan. Also called an 80/10/10 or combination mortgage, it involves getting two loans at once to buy one home. The strategy can save you money.

What credit score do I need to buy a house with no money down? ›

You'll usually need a credit score of at least 640 for the zero-down USDA loan program. VA loans with no money down usually require a minimum credit score of 580 to 620. Low-down-payment mortgages, including conforming loans and FHA loans, also require FICO scores of 580 to 620.

Some lenders require a 5 percent minimum. Keep in mind, too, that to avoid PMI, you'll need to put down at least 20 percent. If you can't afford that high of a down payment, though, know you won't pay PMI forever. Once you reach 20 percent equity in your home, you can request that your lender remove PMI from your bill.

If you have a conventional loan, $800 in monthly debt obligations and a $10,000 down payment, you can afford a home that's around $250,000 in today's interest rate environment.

Borrowing against a 401(k) can be a great way to get a down payment, Schachter said. Borrowing rates are usually very low, and the lender doesn't include the new payment from the loan in your debt-to-income ratio.

Conforming loan down payments can vary from 3% to 20% or more, so for a $500,000 home, you'd need between $15,000 and $100,000. Conforming loans, once again, follow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines and usually offer competitive terms.

You don't need to put 20 percent down to get a mortgage — some mortgages don't even require a down payment. You can get a conventional mortgage with 3 percent down, but with anything less than 20 percent, you'll have to pay mortgage insurance. Making a larger down payment can get you a lower interest rate.

The formula looks like this: Down Payment = Purchase Price × Down Payment Percentage. Down Payment = $200,000 × 10%

You should aim to keep housing expenses below 28% of your monthly gross income. If you have additional debts, your housing expenses and those debts should not exceed 36% of your monthly gross income. Your max purchase budget is the loan amount that lenders could probably give you based on what you've told us.