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Ready for some mortgage math? We took the current median home price for the Portland, Oregon metro area and used home buyer survey data to determine the average down payment for Portland-area home buyers.
As of 2024, a typical buyer purchasing a median-priced house in this market would end up with a down payment of around $63,368.
But don’t be too discouraged by that number. While it represents the average down payment for the Portland area, some buyers get by with a much smaller investment. For instance, if you were to invest only 3% (the minimum for most conventional loans), you could bring your down payment to around $15,800 on a median-priced home.
As a mortgage company that serves the entire Pacific Northwest, we closely monitor real estate trends in places like Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. We keep an eye on relevant trends that home buyers and homeowners should know about, and report them here on our blog.
Today, we’ll take a look at the average or “typical” down payment for the Portland metro area, based on 2024 data.
It all starts with home prices. As of early 2024, the median home price for the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan area was $528,068. That’s based on data provided by Zillow.
The median house value for this market rose by about 0.2% over the past year. That means home buyers are making larger down payments today (on average) than a year ago. After all, the down payment is directly related to the purchase price.
So, how much does a typical home buyer in Portland put down, percentage-wise?
A survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that the average down payment among all home buyers was 12%. That includes both first-time and repeat buyers. Making a 12% investment on a median-priced house ($528,068) in the Portland area would come to around $63,368 in 2024.
But what if you can’t afford to make a down payment in the $60,000 – $70,000 range? Some home buyers don’t have that kind of money in the bank. Fortunately, you have options.
The 12% figure used in the earlier example is based on the average down payment identified in surveys. But the minimum investment required for a regular conventional loan is quite a bit lower than that — down to 3% in some cases.
A 3% down payment on a typical Portland-area home would come to around $15,800, as of early 2024. Clearly, that’s a more manageable investment when compared to the 12% average down payment among all home buyers.
The point is, you don’t have to make the average down payment when buying a house in the Portland metro area. Some mortgage programs allow borrowers to put down 3% – 3.5%. And then there’s the VA loan program for military members and veterans, which allows them to finance up to 100% of the purchase price.
Also bear in mind that many mortgage programs available today allow for down payment gifts. This is when an approved third-party, like a family member or close friend, gives you money to put toward your upfront home-buying expenses.
The 20% down payment is another common investment amount among Portland-area home buyers, and for good reason. Borrowers who can afford to put 20% down are “rewarded” by not having to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI).
Mortgage buyers like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac often require mortgage insurance on the loans they purchase from lenders. For instance, Freddie Mac’s website states that private mortgage insurance “is required on each conventional Mortgage Freddie Mac purchases that has a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of more than 80%.”
If you make a down payment of 20% or more when buying a home in Portland, you’ll keep the LTV at or below 80%. So you wouldn’t be required to pay mortgage insurance. There are other ways to avoid PMI, such as using a “piggyback” loan strategy. But they’re the subject of another article.
In 2024, a 20% down payment for a typical house in the Portland area would equal $105,613.
Do you have questions about mortgages? If so, Sammamish Mortgage can help. We are a local mortgage company from Bellevue, Washington, serving the entire state, as well as Oregon, Idaho, Colorado & California. We offer many mortgage programs to buyers all over the Pacific Northwest and have been doing so since 1992. Our programs include the Diamond Homebuyer Program, Cash Buyer Program, and Bridge Loans. Contact us today with any questions you have about mortgages.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.