How much is it for a downpayment on a house

Your down payment plays an important role when you’re buying a home. A down payment is a percentage of your home’s purchase price that you pay up front when you close your home loan. Lenders often look at the down payment amount as your investment in the home. Not only will it affect how much you’ll need to borrow, it can also influence:

  • Whether your lender will require you to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). Typically, you’ll need PMI if you put down less than 20% of the home’s purchase price.
  • Your interest rate. Because your down payment represents your investment in the home, your lender will often offer you a lower rate if you can make a higher down payment.

So how much of a down payment will you need to make? That depends on the purchase price of your home and your loan program. Different loan programs require different percentages, usually ranging from 5% to 20%.

Loan-to-value ratio

The amount of your down payment helps give your lender the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of the property. LTV is one of the main factors – along with debt-to-income-ratio and credit score – that a lender considers when deciding whether or not to extend you credit.

Your loan-to-value ratio indicates how much you will owe on the home after your down payment, and is expressed as a percentage that shows the ratio between your home’s unpaid principal and its appraised value. The higher your down payment, the lower your loan amount will be and the lower your loan-to-value ratio will be. Here’s the formula:

Loan amount ÷ appraisal value or purchase price (whichever is less) = loan-to-value (LTV)

For example:

  • The home you want to buy has an appraised value of $205,000, but $200,000 is the purchase price
  • The bank will base the loan amount on the $200,000 figure, because it’s the lower of the 2
  • You have $40,000 for a down payment, so you need a $160,000 loan to meet the $200,000 purchase price
  • Your loan-to-value equation would look like this: $160,000 ÷ $200,000 = .80
  • You multiply .80 by 100% and that gives you an LTV of 80%

Private mortgage insurance (PMI)

If your down payment is lower than 20%, your loan-to-value ratio for conventional financing will be higher than 80%. In that case, your lender may require you to pay private mortgage insurance, because they’re lending you more money to purchase the home and increasing their potential risk of loss if the loan should go into default. Keep in mind that private mortgage insurance will increase your monthly payments.

When you consider how much to put down on your home, think about your lender’s requirements and what a higher or a lower down payment will mean for you. Is it worth it to you to pay private mortgage insurance each month in order to receive the other benefits of homeownership? Or would it make more sense for you to save for a larger down payment and avoid PMI, even if that means waiting longer to buy a home? Knowing the financial impact of each choice can help you make your decision with confidence.

If you’re having trouble saving for a down payment, you should know that certain lenders participate in programs that could enable you to qualify for down payment assistance. Ask your lender whether you might qualify for one of these programs.

   

There are many costs to factor in when you’re shopping for a home. One of the most important? The down payment. Let’s go over minimum down payments on mortgages, what percentage you may want to save to feel confident going into the mortgage process and some common down payment myths.

A down payment is a portion of the cost of a home, that you pay up front. It represents your initial investment in your home. When you put more money down, you're taking some of the risk away from the lender – proof that you’re invested in the purchase and a sign that you’re committed to making all your mortgage payments. In return, the lender may offer you a lower mortgage interest rate.

Do you have to put 20% down on a house?

No, in fact the median down payment for first-time home buyers in 2021 was just 6% according to the National Association of Realtors.1 You may have heard that a down payment should be 20% of a home’s purchase price, and while it does have advantages, it’s not necessary.

A Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Mortgage has a minimum down payment of only 3.5%. It’s available to all qualified buyers, regardless of income level. Also, you can buy a home with no down payment if you meet the specific restrictions of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan or a Veteran Affairs (VA) loan.

Minimum down payments on mortgages

Benefits of putting 20% down

While saving up enough money for a 20% down payment may not be necessary, there are benefits. A 20% down payment means you’ll have a smaller monthly mortgage to pay (because you paid for more of the house up front). Plus, you’ll usually get a better interest rate because a larger down payment is a sign that you’re financially stable and a good credit risk.

Another cost savings: not being required to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI) on conventional loans. PMI is insurance that a lender might require you to purchase for a conventional loan if your down payment is less than 20% because you would be considered a higher-risk borrower. This is an extra monthly expense you'll need to pay along with your mortgage payment, and it typically costs between 0.5% and 1% of the mortgage amount each year but may run higher. Keep in mind, FHA and USDA loans require a monthly mortgage insurance premium (MIP) and this will be required even if you put 20% or more down.

Reasons for not putting 20% down

While a 20% down payment may help save costs, there are plenty of reasons why it might not be possible. For some, waiting to save up 20% for a down payment may “cost” too much time. While you’re saving for your down payment and paying rent, the price of your future home may go up. So putting less than 20% down might be worth it to get into your first home sooner and start building valuable equity.

If you have high-interest credit card debt or other debt, it’s wise to work to pay down your balances even if that means you’ll have less for a down payment. Also, private mortgage insurance (which may be required on a conventional loan with a down payment of less than 20%) is an extra monthly cost, but it’s not a bad idea to weigh the pros and cons of PMI to become a homeowner.

Our down payment calculator can help you understand the costs and benefits of different down payment amounts so you can decide what makes the most sense for you.

The down payment amount that’s right for one person, won’t necessarily be right for another. It’s important to consider the benefits of different down payment amounts and get advice from loved ones, your real estate agent and a mortgage loan officer to determine what’s right for you.

What is a normal down payment on a house?

The average down payment in America is equal to about 6% of the borrower's loan value. However, buying a home with as little as 3% down is possible, depending on your loan type and credit score. You may even be able to buy a home with no money down if you qualify for a USDA loan or a VA loan.

How much is a down payment on a 300K house?

How much is the down payment for a $300K house? You'll need a down payment of $9,000, or 3 percent, if you're buying a $300K house with a conventional loan. If you're using an FHA loan, you'll need a downpayment of $10,500, which is 3.5 percent of the purchase price.

How much of a down payment do you need for a $200 000 house?

Conventional mortgages, like the traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage, usually require at least a 5% down payment. If you're buying a home for $200,000, in this case, you'll need $10,000 to secure a home loan. FHA Mortgage. For a government-backed mortgage like an FHA mortgage, the minimum down payment is 3.5%.

How much is a downpayment on a 250k house?

For a home price of $250,000 the minimum down payment would be $8,750.