3% Down? Why Small Down Payment Mortgages Could Be a Bad Idea

For prospective homeowners, the idea of saving up for a 20% down payment — usually tens of thousands of dollars — can often be paralyzing. As a result, small or no down payment mortgages are extremely attractive.

But as usual, taking a shortcut financially can come back to bite you. Mortgage loans that have a low-minimum down payment usually require extra fees or insurance to make it worth the lender’s while.

To determine whether a small down payment mortgage is right for you, it’s important that you know what you’re getting yourself into and how much it can cost you in the end.

Mortgages that require a small down payment

Small down payment mortgages are attractive primarily because they allow people to buy a home sooner than if they had to put a full 20% down.

This can be appealing for personal reasons since owning a house often makes it feel more like home. And it can occasionally be attractive for financial reasons, potentially saving you money compared with renting, particularly if you stay in the house for an extended period of time.

Additionally, there are several home loan programs that offer small or no down payment mortgages to those who qualify:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture insures home loans for low- to moderate-income homebuyers in eligible rural areas.

Like VA loans, there is no down payment for a USDA loan. But there is an upfront fee of 1% and an ongoing annual fee of 0.35%, both of which apply to purchases and refinances.

Additional fees include an upfront mortgage insurance premium of 1.75% and an annual mortgage insurance premium of 0.45% to 1.05%, depending on the type, size and length of the loan and the size of the down payment.

These loans, however, aren’t insured by a government agency, so the lender will require private mortgage insurance (PMI). The cost of PMI varies but is often between 0.5% and 1% of the loan amount. You can typically request to have your PMI dropped once you have at least 20% equity in the home.

These small and no-down payment mortgage options are designed for those with low- to moderate-incomes who either don’t have enough cash on hand for a large down payment or find it difficult to qualify for a conventional mortgage for credit reasons.

As a result, these small down payment mortgages are attractive because they make homeownership more accessible. You can save enough for a down payment much sooner than if you had to put the full 20% down, and you can secure a mortgage even if your credit isn’t perfect.

For example, let’s say you’re buying a $200,000 home, putting 3% down, and not rolling your closing costs into the loan. On a 30-year mortgage with a 4% interest rate, your monthly payment will consist of the following elements:

If you total these up, your monthly payment will be $1,284.11.

Now, let’s compare that with your monthly payment if you make a 20% down payment instead.

3% Down Payment 20% Down Payment Principal and interest $926.19 $763.86 PMI $121.25 $0 Homeowners insurance $70 $70 Property tax $166.67 $166.67 Total Monthly Payment $1,284.11 $1,000.53 That’s a savings of $283.58 per month, for a total of $102,088.80 over the life of the loan.

Even if you don’t plan on staying in the home for the full 30 years, having an extra few hundred dollars per month can make a big difference for your budget. Here are just a few things you can do with that additional cash.

If you do plan on staying in your house for the life of the loan, that extra $102,088.80 can go a long way toward securing every part of your financial future.

While it’s generally better to make a bigger down payment, there are some situations in which a small down payment mortgage may be the better option.

Over a 30-year period, you can save tens of thousands of dollars by opting for a higher down payment. But if you’re only planning on staying in the home for a few years, the savings won’t be nearly as high.

That said, it’s important to also consider the transaction costs.

Even if you have enough money to make a large down payment, you may not want to part with all of it. For example, you might prefer to keep your emergency fund intact rather than deplete it. Or you might want to keep some cash available for repairs. Or you might want to invest some of that money with the hope of getting a better rate of return.

If you’ve set a goal of making a 10% to 20% down payment on your next home purchase, now is the time to start getting your strategy in place. While it can sometimes take years to save that kind of money, there are a few things you can do to speed up the process.

Sometimes the best way to reach a financial goal is a good mix of offense and defense.

On offense, consider finding ways to earn more money either by negotiating a raise, starting a side hustle, getting a second job or booking the occasional side gig.

Qualified retirement accounts like a 401(k) typically penalize you for taking withdrawals before you’ve reached retirement age.

But many 401(k) plans offer loan programs that allow you to borrow from your account balance, often with relatively low-interest rates even if you have poor credit. And if you are using the money in order to purchase a primary residence, you may be able to pay the loan back over a period of 25 years, as opposed to the standard 5-year term for most 401(k) loans.

There are certain situations where a small down payment mortgage might be a good idea. It can get you into a home sooner, and many federally-insured mortgage programs can minimize the costs and allow you to buy a home with less-than-perfect credit.

But in many cases, it’s better to go above and beyond the minimum down payment required. A larger down payment can save you money both in the short term and the long term, helping you invest more in your future financial security.

Making the right choice for your personal situation involves both running the numbers and taking your personal goals into account. If you do your due diligence, you’ll be in a better position to make a good decision.