Move with Lisa Kenton

Today’s buyers are putting less money down. And that’s reassuring if you’ve been feeling priced out of the market lately.

The typical buyer put down about $23,400 in early 2026 – that's a 19% year-over-year dip, and the lowest down payments have been since 2021. How’s that possible?

A more balanced market and more moderate home prices are easing the pressure to put a big sum down. Plus, more buyers are opting for loans that require little or no down payments, like FHA and VA loans.

That combination is helping more people stop waiting and start buying.

So, if saving’s been the holdup, it’s time to explore your options.

A lot of buyers and sellers are holding back right now because they're worried we're headed for another 2008. But look at the numbers.

In 2008, homeowner equity and mortgage debt were nearly identical. That means, if someone hit a rough patch, they had almost nothing to fall back on. That's part of what made that crash so bad.

Today? Home equity is at $34.9 trillion. Debt is at $14.4 trillion. So, homeowners aren't stuck. They have equity built up in their homes – which means if they needed to sell, many could and they’d still come out ahead. They have a cushion.

This isn’t a crash. Today’s market still has a solid foundation.

And if worries about a crash have been keeping you on the sidelines, it might be worth having a conversation about what a move could look like for you right now.