Definition of "Down Payment"

In general, a Down payment is a one-time payment a buyer makes to diminish the risks of the seller of expensive goods like a car, or a house. In Real Estate, the home buyer makes a down payment right off the bat and, then, honors the mortgage loan in monthly installments.

Down payments in Real Estate are usually calculated by observing the difference between the value of the property and the mortgage loan amount, and, then, expressed in dollars or as a percentage of the full value.

For example: if a house is valued at $100,000 and the loan is for $80,000; the down payment is $20,000 or 20%. In America, that value is usually between 3.5 to 20%.

But this definition is dependant on a lot of factors, like credit score and, sometimes, debt-to-income ratio. The higher the down payment, the lower the premiums (the amount of money you pay for each monthly installment) because the less the risk the seller/lender has of losing money should you default.

Real Estate Tips:

You can become an expert in one shot or through several installments... be our guest; accessing our glossary terms and finding a local real estate agent via our agent directory is 100% free!

Comments for Down Payment

ALAN PE BENITO ALAN PE BENITO said:

How to buy a property without downpayment?

Apr 03, 2019  09:20:56

 
Real Estate Agent

When you are looking for a mortgage with no down payment, it means that you expect the lender to cover the entire purchase, so the loan-to-value ratio is 100%. It also means that your credit risk is huge and our real estate agents will tell you that it's very hard to buy real estate with no money down. There are only three 0 down home loans available in the US. Veterans, active duty service members, National Guard members and reservists may qualify for a VA loan. Another option would be the USDA loans for rural areas. And the third one - the Navy Federal Credit Union 100% Financing. You should know that there are conventional mortgages that allow only a down payment of 3%, so an LTV of 97% but private mortgage insurance (PMI) is required for a few years. FHA loans allow very low down payments of only 3.5% if you have a good credit score. Maybe you should try to save some money for a few years to have more options at hand. 

Apr 04, 2019  06:25:25
 
 
image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Mortgage Terms

A mortgage lender that sells all the loans it originates in the secondary market. ...

Points paid by a lender for a loan with a rate above the rate on a zero point loan. For example, a lender might quote the following prices: 8%/0 points, 7.5%/3 points, 8.75%/-2.5 points. ...

USDA loans are a form of government-backed financing for both first-time home buyers and move up buyers looking for a second or third property. These loans have little to do with ...

A very large increase in the payment on an ARM that may surprise the borrower. The term is also used to refer to a large difference between the rent being paid by a first-time home buyer ...

A variety of unsavory lender practices designed to take advantage of unwary borrowers. Predatory lending covers much the same ground as Mortgage Scams and Tricks/Scams by Loan Providers. ...

Fixed rate Mortgage is a type of loan that maintains a specified interest rate for the lifetime (or maturity) of the mortgage.According to the Federal National Mortgage Association, ...

A mortgage on which interest is calculated daily based on the balance on the day of payment, rather than monthly, as on the standard mortgage. ...

Mortgages delivered using the Internet as a major part of the communication process between the borrower and the lender. ...

Housing expense plus current debt service payments. ...

Popular Mortgage Questions