9 Things to Know When Determining a Down Payment

You’re saving up for a house! One of the first things you need to do is determine how much money you’ll need as a down payment. This may seem like an easy question, but it’s not always so simple. Your down payment is often determined by your current situation and what kind of loan program you qualify for. To help make this decision easier, here are 9 things to know when determining your down payment!

1: You can’t take out a loan for more than 80% of the property’s value

• This means that your down payment will usually be 20-30%
• When determining your down payment, you might think to take into account extra expenses, such as furniture. Keep in mind that these additional costs will be included in your mortgage and paid for with monthly payments.
• Your down payment will be determined by your current financial situation. If you have little or no savings, then it’s important to plan accordingly. You can always try saving up a bit before applying for a loan.
• You’re not alone if you don’t have the cash for a 20-30%
• Your credit score, income and debt amount are all evaluated when you apply for any type of home loan program. The better these factors are, typically the lower the down payment will be.

3: Down payments can also come in other forms

These included gifts from family members and a cash savings account that you’ve built up over time. If you don’t qualify for any type of loan program because your credit score isn’t high enough or you have too much debt, this may not apply for you.

4: Some of the loan programs require that your down payment is a gift from family members or cash saved up over time. 

The FHA and VA loans are two examples of these types of mortgage loans, but they’re not for everyone! Some people don’t have the cash for a down payment but they might qualify because of their current financial situation. If you’re currently renting and want to buy your home, then this is possible! You’ll need at least $1000 in savings or assets that can be used as collateral.The FHA loan program offers low-interest

5:If you have an excellent credit score or income to match, you’ll have a much lower down payment requirement

This is because the bank’s risk of your loan defaulting will be low, which means they can charge higher interest rates on that money to make more profit for themselves. 

6:If you don’t already own property and want to use an FHA or VA mortgage program

Your down payment is going to be a minimum of three percent. This means that you’ll need at least $500 if your loan amount is less than $50,000 or $1000 for loans over this amount.

7: If you already own property and want to use an FHA or VA mortgage program

The bank will only require you to have a down payment of three percent if your house is worth less than $25,000. If the property value is over this amount, then they will require five percent; with an FHA loan it’s six and nine for VA loans.

8: If you want to purchase a personal residence but don’t qualify for any type of loan program

You may be able to use a cash-out refinance. This means that the bank will allow you to take out more than your current home equity but not more than 80% of its value.

9: The down payment requirement is usually determined by how much money they think you’ll need for monthly mortgage payments, property taxes and insurance 

For example, if you have an excellent credit score because of your long-term history with few delinquencies or defaults on loans in the past then they will probably require less money up front from you as a down payment.

Knowing how your down payment is determined can help you make a smarter decision about whether or not to purchase property. Whether it’s the FHA, VA or personal residence through cash-out refinancing, knowing what they require as a down payment will help guide your decisions and give you peace of mind when making this important financial commitment!