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Your down payment is paid in cash and is not included as part of the loan amount. The bigger your initial down payment, the smaller your loan, which reduces the amount of your payments.

How much you'll put down depends on the cash you have available and the amounts you'll need for closing costs and prepaid property taxes and homeowners' insurance.

Calculate the available funds of you and all your co-borrowers (if applicable).

Mortgage plans have various down payment requirements and they can range from 0% down on a VA (Veterans Administration) loan to between 3 and 5% down on a FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans to 20% down, the traditional amount for a conventional loan. In addition, special state programs for first-time home buyers may set different sums, which are usually lower than conventional financing.

If you put less than 20% down on most loans, you'll be asked to protect the lender by carrying private mortgage insurance (PMI). Carrying PMI ensures that the debt is repaid if you default on the loan. This adds approximately an extra half a percent onto the loan.

FHA mortgages, in return for their low-down-payment requirements, also charge for mortgage insurance premiums (MIP).

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