The 20% Mortgage Down Payment Isn’t Dead Yet

A 20% down payment usually isn’t required to finance a home purchase, and most buyers who finance a home put down less.

But the 20% down payment isn’t dead yet. In fact, a growing share of buyers are making down payments of at least 20% to compete in today’s sizzling market.

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Competitive market prompts higher down payments

Realtors reported that 48% of their home buyer clients made down payments of at least 20% in the first quarter of 2021, up from 46% in all of 2020 and 40% in all of 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Confidence Index Survey. Among first-time buyers, almost 28% put down at least 20% in the first quarter, up from almost 26% in 2020 and about 23% in 2011.

A larger down payment strengthens your offer because it assures the seller that you’re on solid financial ground and your financing is likely…

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This article was written by Hal M. Bundrick, CFP® and originally published on www.nerdwallet.com