Millennials Underestimate Down Payment Needs

Millennials Underestimate Down Payment Needs

The pandemic is motivating more millennials to feel like they’re finally ready to buy a home. But do they have the savings to do it?

Seventy-four percent of millennials—ages 25 to 40—recently surveyed by Point2Homes say they are interested in purchasing a home in the next 12 months. However, 88% say they have significantly less savings than the average national down payment amount, which is $62,600, according to the study. Fourteen percent of millennials surveyed admit they have nothing saved up for a home.

Certainly, down payment programs exist for those in need of help. But whether these programs will be sufficient for home shoppers whose savings are so tight is doubtful, financial experts say. Down payments of 0% and 5% are possible with a home purchase, but they tend to come at higher costs.

Forty percent of the millennials surveyed say they set aside 10% or less of their income for a down payment. What’s more, 40% of respondents believe that savings of $10,000 or less would be enough to buy a home. “But even if they’re considering 0%, 3%, or 5% down payment mortgages, very few of the 100 largest cities in the country have houses for sale that are spacious enough to meet millennials’ pandemic-induced demands,” the researchers note.

Those millennials who hope to buy a home of their own may be able to save more as they move back in with their families—an increasingly popular trend since the pandemic. “The coronavirus outbreak has pushed millions of Americans, especially young adults, to move in with family members,” the survey notes. “The share of 18- to 29-year-olds living with their parents has become a majority since U.S. coronavirus cases began spreading early this year, surpassing the previous peak during the Great Depression era.” The number living with parents grew to 26.6 million, an increase of 2.6 million from February. Assuming these young adults still have jobs, they may be able to ramp up their savings more for a down payment to eventually buy a home of their own.

Source:
Home Within a Year, But Saving Takes Up to 10 Years,” Point2Homes (Sept. 29, 2020)
©National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission