How To Buy A House With Less Than 20 Down May 2026
Maya and Leo were tired of renting but hadn't saved the $60,000 "standard" 20% down payment for a $300,000 house. They felt stuck until they met Sarah, a lender who showed them three "secret" doors to homeownership. Door 1: The First-Time Advantage (Conventional Loans)
Sarah explained that if they had good credit (620+), they didn't need 20%. They could qualify for a with just 3% down —about $9,000 instead of $60,000. The catch? They’d pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) , a small monthly fee that protects the lender. Once they paid off 20% of the home's value, that extra cost would disappear. Door 2: The Flexible Path (FHA Loans) how to buy a house with less than 20 down
