10 Ways to Come Up With a Down Payment

10 Ways to Come Up With a Down Payment  

 

You've found the perfect house. Interest rates are still low. There's just one thing standing between you and your dream home: a down payment.

 

Don't abandon your homeownership quest just yet. There are few ways to come up with the cash for your new castle:

 

Use special programs. There are many programs for home buyers in down-payment distress. Borrowers in a wide range of incomes, locales and professional groups may have access to aid from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored offices that buy mortgages and package them as investments. Various nonprofit and community groups also lend a hand to buyers struggling to put money down on a home. And don't forget about assistance from state agencies.  

 

Tap your IRA. If you're looking to buy your first home, let the Internal Revenue Service help. Tax laws allow you to use up to $10,000 in IRA funds as a down payment if you've never owned a house. If you're married and you both are first-time buyers, you each can pull from your retirement accounts, meaning a potential $20,000 down payment. Even better is the IRS definition of first-time home buyer. Technically, you don't have to be purchasing your very first abode. You qualify under the tax rules as long as you (or your spouse) did not own a principal residence at any time during the two years prior to the purchase of the new home. In these instances, Uncle Sam waives the penalty for early withdrawal, but you may owe tax on the money depending on the type of IRA. Many cash-strapped home buyers, however, find the long-term return of investing in residential real estate is worth the short-term tax bill.

 

Find out about other ways that may help you to come up with a down payment…  

 

Have any other (legal) suggestions for coming up with a down payment? Leave us your comment by clicking the comment link below.