How Quickly Can You Save Your Down Payment?
Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long it would take to save for a down payment in each state.
Using data from HUD, Census and Apartment List, we determined how long it would take, nationwide, for a first-time buyer to save enough money for a down payment on their dream home. There is a long-standing ‘rule’ that a household should not pay more than 28% of their income on their monthly housing expense.
By determining the percentage of income spent renting in each state, and the amount needed for a 10% down payment, we were able to establish how long (in years) it would take for an average resident to save enough money to buy a home of their own.
According to the data, residents in Kansas can save for a down payment the quickest, doing so in just over 1 year (1.12). Below is a map that was created using the data for each state:
What if you only needed to save 3%?
What if you were able to take advantage of one of Freddie Mac’s or Fannie Mae’s 3%-down programs? Suddenly, saving for a down payment no longer takes 2 to 5 years, but becomes possible in less than a year in most states, as shown on the map below.
Bottom Line
Whether you have just begun to save for a down payment or have been saving for years, you may be closer to your dream home than you think! Let’s get together to help you evaluate your ability to buy today.

Utah Realty Blog of the day – Impact of home staging
The Impact Staging Your Home Has On Your Sale Price. Utah Realty educational blog of the day Some Highlights: The National Association of Realtors surveyed their members & released the findings of their Profile of Home Staging. 62% of seller’s agents say that...
Should You Buy a Home Now or Wait Until Next Year?

Top Days to List Your Home for Sale in Utah by Utah Realty
Top Days to List Your Home for Sale Some Highlights: ATTOM Data Solutions conducted an analysis of more than 29 million single family home and condo sales over the past eight years to determine the top days to list your home for sale. The top five days to list your...

Are Older Generations in Utah Really Not Selling Their Homes
Are Older Generations Really Not Selling Their Homes? Many studies suggest one of the main reasons for the inventory shortage in today’s market of homes for sale is that older generations have chosen to “age in place” over moving. The 2019 Home Buyers & Sellers...

Searching for your Utah Dream Home
Starting the Search for Your Dream Home? Here Are 5 Tips! In today’s real estate market, low inventory dominates the conversation in many areas of the country. It can often be frustrating to be a first-time homebuyer if you aren’t prepared. In...
Utah Home Prices
Salt Lake City's Home Prices Keep Climbing Salt Lake home prices have increased nearly 47 percent over the past five years, and more than 371 percent since 1991, according to a recent report by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Nationwide, home prices have...
Parents of Utah Graduates, Are you about to be empty nesters!

Utah Realty Presents A Tale of Two Markets
Utah Realty Presents A Tale of Two Markets [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights: An emerging trend for some time now has been the difference between available inventory and demand in the premium and luxury markets and that in the starter and trade-up markets and what those...

South Jordan Utah Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership
Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership! When we consider buying an item, we naturally go through a research process prior to making our decision. We ask our friends and family members who have made similar purchases about their experience, we get opinions and...

Utah Realty Tip of the Day! Access Important to Getting your Home Sold
Why Access Is One of the Most Important Factors in Getting Your House Sold! So, you’ve decided to sell your house. You’ve hired a real estate professional to help you through the entire process, and they have asked you what level of access you want to provide to your...