The home-buying process is no longer as simple as finding a house and paying for it. Did you know that you need to pay an upfront, nonrefundable fee to buy a home? Yes, that would be the down payment. This down payment’s price can differ based on several factors. The amount you pay for the down payment goes towards the total amount of the home. Furthermore, the rest of the money that you need to pay would be the mortgage. It might not be affordable for everyone, which is why there are relief opportunities to help you out! This article will tell you what these opportunities are and how you can benefit from them.
What is Down Payment Support?
Down payment opportunities can make it much easier to buy a home. Luckily, there are so many different kinds of opportunities, so you will not be stuck with one option! Some of these down payment opportunities include:
- Grants
- Programs That Offer Matched Savings
- Deferred-Payment Loans and Low-Interest Loans
- Forgivable Mortgage Loans
Grants
A grant basically works like free money, where recipients do not need to pay it back. If you want to get this type of support, looking at the terms and conditions of the grant comes in handy. You can find out what you are agreeing to. For example, you might find some agencies need recipients to get a second lien on their home in order to get their grant.
Programs That Offer Matched Savings
Matched savings programs help home buyers to set up an account with a financial institution. As a recipient, you will need to deposit funds into that account and the institution will match it. Some of these institutions would be federal agencies, community organizations, and banks. Finally, homebuyers get to benefit from how much they put in and how much was matched. The total amount from the institution and the home buyer will go towards the down payment.
Deferred-Payment Loans and Low-Interest Loans
When it comes to loans, it could be a great helping hand when dealing with the cost of a down payment. Loans with deferred payments help with down payment since borrowers can defer their payments until a certain period. The borrower does not need to pay back the second loan until they:
- Repay the first loan or refinance the first mortgage
- Move away or sell the home
However, a common way that people try to get the most bang for their buck on their down payment with these loans is with how they handle repayment. Once any of the above happens, they will need to begin repaying the loan. People can choose to sell their homes and use the money to pay off their loans!
As for low-interest loans, this could come in handy when you are finishing up your first mortgage and have the option to get a second loan. It is important to keep in mind that this kind of loan requires monthly repayment. However, the good thing about this loan is that there are low-interest or zero-interest rates. You can use the second loan to pay for your down payment.
Forgivable Mortgage Loans
The loans above are not the only type of loan that can provide some down payment support. With forgivable mortgage loans, the homebuyer will not need to repay it! However, in order to avoid repaying this second mortgage, the borrower will need to live in the property for a certain period. Typically, lenders will offer loan forgiveness after five years have passed, where the borrower would not need to repay the loan back.
Other than not paying back as long as the homebuyer meets the terms, another good thing about these loans is that there are no interest rates! However, not every lender operates in the same way. There are some lenders that require longer amounts of time to forgive this kind of loan.
Questions You Might Have
It might be a bit overwhelming to understand down payments and the different support opportunities that are available. You can always look through the following questions below to clarify things!
What is the Length of Time That It Takes To Receive Down Payment Support?
When you are exploring your options, you should look into the down payment support source. For instance, if you are looking to get a grant, then you should find out how long it takes for the organization to give you the grant. Make sure you talk to the organization to understand the kind of schedule you might go through since how long it takes to get down payment support can differ. It can differ due to a variety of aspects including the lender, the down payment support type you are receiving, and so on.
How Can You Be Eligible for Down Payment Support?
Popular requirements from the lender you might expect are:
- Staying in a property that is in a certain area or timeframe
- Having a qualifying credit score
- Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI)
- Going to a home-buying financial class
We’ve mentioned this many times before, but the specific conditions will depend on the lender’s requirements.
What Resources are There to Find Down Payment Support?
If you are interested in looking for available down payment support opportunities, then you should consider the following resources:
- Agencies that belong to local and state governments
- The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and HUD-approved housing counselors
Conclusion
When you buy a home, you should consider the fees that come with it. The down payment is a fee that’s a part of the home-buying process, which is an upfront payment for a part of the buying price. It might be hard to afford, which is why you should think about opportunities for down payment like the ones we discussed in this article.
It’s great that there are many different down payment assistance opportunities that allow you to find relief in the home-buying process. However, you should make sure to choose the right option for you and your dream home before you go through with it!