{"id":16279,"date":"2026-04-22T04:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=16279"},"modified":"2026-04-22T20:05:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:05:41","slug":"buyer-typical-down-payment-on-a-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-typical-down-payment-on-a-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There Actually Such a Thing As a Typical Down Payment on a House?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you spend a lot of time crunching numbers in your head trying to estimate what you\u2019d need to save up for a down payment<\/a> on a first home, you might just be spinning your wheels. That\u2019s because there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about what\u2019s really required for a down payment. For instance, if you think you\u2019ll absolutely need 20% down to get a loan<\/a> and get competitive on a home\u2026think again.<\/p>\n

The fact is, homeowners aren\u2019t exactly chatting among friends in casual conversation about how much they put down on their house, so it\u2019s hard to know what\u2019s normal and what isn\u2019t in housing markets around the country and for buyers\u2019 diverse situations. But it\u2019s useful to know \u2014 and hear straight from the mouths of the pros \u2014 that the notion of 20% down is not a uniform requirement across the board, nor is it even the right choice for everyone.<\/p>\n

Of course, when you\u2019re buying a home<\/a>, you\u2019ll want to get educated and strategic about down payments. You want to make sure you don\u2019t put down too low a down payment because you could end up overextending yourself on your monthly mortgage payment<\/a>. At the same time, you don\u2019t want to face the task of saving indefinitely for such a daunting down payment that it prices you out of the housing market entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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How Much Should You Put Down on a House?<\/h3>\n

Estimate how much you should put down on a home and learn more about the loan options that work best for you with HomeLight’s Down Payment Calculator.<\/p>\n \n

\n Check Now<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

So, what is a typical down payment on a home, and what should you plan to bring to the table? Here, we break down the facts with expert feedback to arm you with down payment intel you can use in your specific situation.<\/p>\n

At a glance: Down payment comparison table<\/h2>\n

Seeing down payments in percentages can feel abstract. Below is a breakdown of what those percentages actually look like in cash for various common home price points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Home Purchase Price<\/strong><\/td>\n3% Down Payment<\/strong><\/td>\n10% Down Payment<\/strong><\/td>\n20% Down Payment<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
$300,000<\/strong><\/td>\n$9,000<\/td>\n$30,000<\/td>\n$60,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
$450,000<\/strong><\/td>\n$13,500<\/td>\n$45,000<\/td>\n$90,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
$600,000<\/strong><\/td>\n$18,000<\/td>\n$60,000<\/td>\n$120,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
$800,000<\/strong><\/td>\n$24,000<\/td>\n$80,000<\/td>\n$160,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note: These figures represent the cash needed for the down payment only and do not include closing costs<\/a>, which typically range from 2% to 5% of the purchase price.

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What was a normal down payment for first-time buyers in 2025?<\/h2>\n

The typical down payment for first-time homebuyers in 2025 was just 10% \u2014 significantly lower than the daunting 20% down.<\/p>\n

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends<\/a>, 74% of all homebuyers financed their purchase last year. In order to finance their down payment, 59% of first-time buyers<\/a> used personal savings; 26% used financial assets, such as a 401(k), stocks, or cryptocurrency; and 22% used gifts or loans from family and friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of programs for first-time homebuyers<\/a>,\u201d says Toni Zarghami, a top-selling agent from the Zarghami Group<\/a> serving the Sarasota, Florida area. So, you have options when it comes to making a down payment that\u2019s right for you. To see how much you might need, try our down payment calculator below:<\/p>\n