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In a previous blog post, we noted how home prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area have risen at a much faster pace than household incomes. This trend could cause more and more Seattle-area home buyers to use down payment gifts going forward.
It can be difficult to come up with a few thousand dollars in one lump sum to be used as a down payment to buy a home. Especially in centers like the Seattle area where home prices are very high, down payment amounts can be very high and subsequently difficult to gather.
But accepting monetary gifts from family can be one way to reduce the upfront expense associated with a purchase.
From 1998 to 2018, the median household income for the Seattle metro area rose by 76.2%. That was higher than the national average. But home prices in the area climbed by around 177% during that same 20-year period. As a result, the overall affordability of the Seattle real estate market has declined over the years.
Related: Seattle home prices report
This trend has occurred in many U.S. cities. In cities and towns across the nation, home prices have outpaced income growth over the past two decades. As a result, some home buyers struggle to come up with funds needed for a down payment. The bottom line is that it has become harder for a person with an average or typical income for Seattle to buy a home in the area.
That said, the higher prices increase, the more difficult it becomes for buyers to get into the market. As such, home price growth cannot outpace income forever, as the demand among buyers could eventually weaken as they are less able to afford a home. In turn, this can create less competition, as home prices won’t have as much wiggle room to increase.
This trend presents a challenge for millennials in particular (loosely defined as those individuals born between 1982 and 2004).
“The simple fact that home values have far outpaced income growth, lengthening the time needed to save for a down payment, contributes to millennials’ struggles to enter homeownership.”
She added that “that there are many options for mortgages requiring less than 20 percent down.”
There is a misconception out there that buyers have to put down at least 20% when purchasing a property. But the average investment is actually well below that level, and some mortgage programs allow for a down payment as low as 3%.
As a result of home-price growth outpacing incomes, we could see a higher percentage of home buyers using down payments gifts in 2021.
With home prices outpacing income growth, it’s likely that more and more home buyers will rely on down payment gifts to come up with their initial investment.
In fact, a recent housing-industry survey showed that 30% of home buyers get help from relatives and/or friends in the form of gift money. Most of the mortgage programs available today allow for these down payment gifts. So it’s a great way for cash-strapped borrowers to come up with the minimum required investment on a home purchase.
In most down-payment gift scenarios, the person donating the money must provide a letter that says they do not expect repayment. In other words, they must attest that the money is truly a gift — and not a personal loan. Aside from that simple requirement, there aren’t any extra “hoops” to jump through.
Home buyers planning to enter the Seattle real estate market in 2021 might take comfort from another recent trend. House values in the area dipped for a while, following a long stretch of double-digit annual gains.
Not long ago, we were blogging about double-digit home price gains occurring within the Seattle metro area. But appreciation has slowed since then. When this article was published in February 2021, the median home value in Seattle had increased by 9.8% over the past 12 months and are expected to continue rising throughout the year.
Given this information, buyers in Seattle may want to jump into the market early to ride the wave of price appreciation and avoid getting stuck paying more for their home in the near future.
Are you thinking of buying a home in Seattle? Do you have questions about mortgages to finance your purchase? Sammamish Mortgage can help. We are a local, family-owned company that has been serving the Seattle area since 1992 and offer many mortgage programs to borrowers in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Idaho. Please contact us if you have financing-related questions, or if you’d like to receive a loan estimate.
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.