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What’s the Right Down Payment on a House?

by Tina Gleisner, in Mortgages & More

what if you only needed a 10% down payment on a house, and someone else matched with another 10%Our world is changing in many ways. Uber is changing how we think about cars, so maybe you don’t need one? AirBnB is changing travel, making overnight trips affordable. Unison is a new disruptive mortgage lender redefining how we buy houses. They're willing to match your down payment on a house in return for a share of the profit … when you decide to sell.

Sounds amazing but what does it mean?

For years the traditional down payment for most home buyers has been 20%. The 20 percent down payment is a requirement of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They're government agencies that back or purchase most mortgages that meet lending caps up to $424,100 for most of the US, or $636,150 in high cost locations like California.

There are some commercial lenders who offer loan programs that only require 10% down. And government programs (FHA, VA, USDA) that have lower requirements for a down payment on a house. The problem is they all charge fees for mortgage insurance when you put less than 20% down.

When you’re unable to make a 20% down payment, your monthly financing costs are higher.

  • The interest rate for loans is higher when you put less than 20% down.
  • Additional mortgage insurance is required by most lenders. Called PMI (private mortgage insurance) and the government programs that allow lower down payments, also have higher costs in the form of fees, higher mortgage rates and/or mortgage insurance with down payments less than 20%.
  • Your monthly interest payment is higher because the amount you're borrowing is higher.

What does this all add up to in real dollars and $ense?

even saving for 10% down payment on a house can be a challenge so start looking for ways to make that work

HomeTipsforWomen.com may received compensation when you click to a brand site & make a purchaseHow the Down Payment on a House Affects Monthly Mortgage Costs

When buying a house, almost everyone focuses on the money they need to come up with to get to closing. What they don’t always recognize are the higher operating costs that you don't have as a renter. So let’s take a closer look at monthly carrying costs for a $250,000 house with a 30 yr mortgage at four percent (US median house price was $315,000 in 3Q17).

Buyer down payment20% Down Payment10% Down PaymentShared 10/10
Down Payment
Buyer down payment$50,000$25,000$25,000
Unison investment––$25,000
Mortgage amount $200,000 $225,000  $200,000
Principal & interest$1,265/mo $1,572/mo$1,265/mo
Mortgage insurance – $188/mo –
Property taxes (1.25%)$260/mo$260/mo$260/mo
Homeowner insurance$82/mo$82/mo$82/mo
Homeowner association fees (1%)$100/mo$100/mo$100/mo
Financing costs $1,707/mo $2,014/mo  $1,707/mo

Note: One of my hot buttons is helping people understand the total cost of home ownership. Some of these expenses you have as a renter like digital services while others are new and often overlooked by first time homeowners. My handyman business gave me insight into one of the biggest costs that homeowners ignore – home repairs and renovations, until it's an emergency which will almost always cost you more money.

You might not think saving $300 a month with a lower mortgage payment is worth worrying about. But once you understand the true cost of home ownership, it might look a lot different.

  • Utilities ($320/mo) are a moving target. We're using less electricity and water, but in some cases the cost is still driving higher bills to cover repairs to aging infrastructure.
  • Digital services ($269) are out of sight, with no end to higher prices. Cell phone costs are crazy compared to land lines with phones that lasted for 10 to 20 years. Cable and Internet costs continue to increase as industry giants compete to dominate the market.
  • Home related services ($100/mo) like cleaning, lawn care and pool maintenance are used by many time starved families.
  • Home maintenance, repairs and major renovations ($250/mo) are inevitable as many home features have to be replaced after 10 or 20 years. You need to budget 1-2% of your home's value, or $250/mo for a home valued at $250,000.
  • Total cost of ownership at $2,646/mo.

saving a down payment is really about saving for the lifestyle you want while working, and in retirementThe Magic of Home Ownership (and Why You Should Start Saving for a Down Payment Yesterday)

There are many benefits to home ownership like painting the walls any color you want, changing windows and so much more. Probably the biggest benefit and one I think is magical. Your down payment gives you financial leverage as your home’s value increases based on the price of the house, not the down payment. This will make more sense explaining it with dollars and $ense.

Invested$50,000 Invested$50,000 Invested
… $250,000 House
Savings Stock MarketIncrease in House Value
1%5%8%1%3%5%8%
Yr 1 $50,000$52,500$54,000$252,500 $257,500 $262,500$270,000
Yr 2 $51,005$55,125$58,320$255,025$265,225 $275,625$291,600
Yr 3$51,515$57,881$62,986 $257,575 $273,182 $289,406 $314,928
Yr 4$52,030 $60,775$68,024$260,151 $281,377$303,877 $340,122
Yr 5$52,551$63,814$73,466 $262,752$289,819$319,070$367,332
10 Yrs$55,231$81,445$107,946$276,156 $335,979$407,224$539,731
20 Yrs$61,010$132,665$233,048$305,048$451,528$663,324 $1,165,239
30 Yrs$67,392$216,097$503,133$336,962$606,816$1,080,486$2,515,664

Have you seen numbers like this before? They're pretty amazing and one of the least understood reasons to buy a house. It's the biggest investment for most Americans. It's the best way to save for retirement because your mortgage payments are roughly the same as you'd pay in rent.

when you partner with unison, you can buy a home faster with only 10% for a down payment on a houseBuying with Unison Makes the Down Payment on a House Easy (Easier?)

Wondering what's the catch? How does Unison make money when they invest in your house?

Unison's business model is similar to the stock market. They believe that the increase in home value is significant and relatively stable, so they're willing to wait until you sell your home to get their investment back with profits. For matching your 10% down payment on a house, with another 10% … they earn 35% of the capital gains on your home. Before you sit up and say “now way”, let me point out some reasons why you ought to consider this.

  • Buy your first house sooner, when you only need a 10% down payment on a house.
  • Complete a few remodeling projects quickly, rather than waiting to save up enough money because all your cash went towards the down payment on a house.
  • Buy a second home earlier when you only need to save 10% for a down payment without worrying about higher financing costs like PMI.

If you're want to do more research about Unison or home buying/financing in general, here are some ideas for you:

  • New Mortgage Calculators for Buy vs Rent
  • Finances & Making Sure You're Ready to Buy a House
  • Home Buying Basics at Unison.com
  • True Cost of Home Ownership
  • Invest in Your Home for Retirement Savings

PS This was a new concept for me and I've bought 15 houses. If you want to do more research about home financing options like the one offered by Unison, simply Google “piggyback loans” and you'll find articles like CNBC's article, Is a 20 percent down payment out of reach? How to get around that.

when saving a down payment takes too long, looks for creative ways to buy with 10% down

More from my site

  • Condo Financing Comes with BIG PenaltyCondo Financing Comes with BIG Penalty
  • Invest in Your Home for Retirement SavingsInvest in Your Home for Retirement Savings
  • Appraisal Guidelines Change May 1, 2009Appraisal Guidelines Change May 1, 2009
  • Is it Worth it to Refinance Your Home?Is it Worth it to Refinance Your Home?
  • Understanding What Affects Home AffordabilityUnderstanding What Affects Home Affordability
  • Let Your Monthly Budget Be Your Home Buying GuideLet Your Monthly Budget Be Your Home Buying Guide

Tags: down payment, mortgages

About Tina Gleisner

Tina helps women homeowners create homes they love, homes that support how we live today. Leveraging her experience owning 14 houses and running a handyman business, Tina offers a free Savvy Homeowner Report.

Comments

  1. Christopher Mitchell says

    December 15, 2017 at 9:36 am

    Great post here and I found it just at the right time. Thanks for the time and effort in putting it together!

    Reply
  2. Rahul Khurana says

    December 14, 2017 at 3:04 am

    This is very informative for someone looking to buy a house. My father is in construction work as well, but I don’t take interest in it.

    Reply
  3. Carissa says

    December 13, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    This is very informative! I’m hoping to buy a house sometime soon, so this info way helpful.

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 14, 2017 at 9:58 pm

      Carissa, I wish you the best saving for & buying your house … probably your first.

      Reply
  4. Nicole Caudle says

    December 13, 2017 at 12:42 pm

    This is great advice. I’m definitely going to save this for when I start.

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 14, 2017 at 9:59 pm

      Perfect Nicole & I’m sure we’ll start seeing more creative financing solutions so leave time to research the best deal when you’re ready to buy.

      Reply
  5. Ada says

    December 12, 2017 at 11:18 pm

    This is so helpful! I totally needed something like this.

    Reply
  6. Tina Grant says

    December 12, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    This is a lot to take in. Buying a house is a scary experience, especially for first-time buyers. I’m thankful I no longer have a mortgage.

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 14, 2017 at 10:00 pm

      Buying a house is a huge investment & one that everyone should take seriously to make sure you’re making smart decisions. Congrats for paying off your mortgage.

      Reply
  7. Wendy Pwolisi says

    December 12, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    Wow this is some amazing information. I never realized how it can add up!

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 14, 2017 at 10:02 pm

      Yes, it’s why some people end up house poor because they buy more house than they can afford.

      Reply
  8. Sheena Tatum says

    December 12, 2017 at 6:52 pm

    I always wish I had more to put down when I bought my house. You live and you learn!

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 14, 2017 at 10:03 pm

      Sheena, When possible, I always add more to my monthly payment which goes to paying down the principal faster. In fact you can do this so a 30 yr loan is paid off in 15 yrs

      Reply
  9. Jen Temcio says

    December 12, 2017 at 3:15 pm

    All these numbers are a lot to think about. I definitely need the help of an expert when it comes to mortgages.

    Reply
  10. Soonjoo says

    December 12, 2017 at 11:33 am

    This is very informative! We own and RV currently. But we will be buying home near future! I’ll have bookmarked!

    Reply
  11. athena says

    December 12, 2017 at 10:03 am

    I was so glad when we were finally able to get rid of that PMI. We definitely didn’t have 20% to put down. We bought a home just the same.

    Reply
  12. Jeanette says

    December 12, 2017 at 8:42 am

    This is defiantly informative! I wish I saw this back when I was trying to buy a house! This would have helped me with some of the decisions that I needed to make!

    Reply
  13. Tara Pittman says

    December 12, 2017 at 12:10 am

    If one has 20% to put down that would be best. We did not have 20% to put down when we bought our homes so we put down 10%.

    Reply
    • Tina Gleisner says

      December 12, 2017 at 12:18 am

      Tara, I’ve always been able to put 20% down, although once I got a variable loan for the lower interest rate (our very first mortgage). That didn’t work well so I’ve always stuck with 20% down for a fixed, 30 yr loan … so curious how 10% down worked for you?

      Reply
      • Tara Pittman says

        December 12, 2017 at 12:58 am

        We wanted to be homeowners so we put down 10% as that was all we had and cheaper house was not an option as there was none.

        Reply

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