Coming up with a down payment is among the biggest challenges for prospective home buyers, especially if it’s their first time. While move-up buyers can use the money made from selling their current home, first-time buyers have to save the money from scratch. The good news is, depending on the terms of your loan, you’ll have options, regardless of whether it’s your first or fifth time buying. For starters, you don’t necessarily have to come up with a full 20-percent down payment. In fact, the average down payment is around 6 percent. However, with home prices rising, so have down payments. And, according to newly released numbers from ATTOM Data Solutions, the median down payment is now at its highest level in more than 15 years. Their data shows that, during the third quarter of this year, the median down payment on a single-family home reached $27,500 – that’s up from $26,000 during the second quarter and $19,502 last year at the same time. But where you’re looking to buy will make a big difference in how much you’ll need to save. For example, the highest down payment amounts were found on the coasts, with half of the top 10 in California. (source)
