Weekly Real Estate Snippet - 13% of home buyers think they need 20% down…But most buyers put down 10% or less

Jay Mattlin, Real Estate Broker with Key Realty

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Weekly Real Estate Snippet - 13% of home buyers think they need 20% down…But most buyers put down 10% or less

May 2nd, 2026 by Jay Mattlin

I'm glad you're here!

I've put together a nice assortment of bite-sized pieces of real estate news, entertainment, and resources I think you're going to enjoy. (And maybe even learn a thing or two you never knew you wanted to know!)

Here's a sneak peek at what's on tap:

• Want to be flush with cash?

• 13% of home buyers think they need 20% down…

• 5 hidden costs of house hunting

But first, let's start it off with my...

Meme of the Week

Most of the time real estate contracts are filled with boiler plate language, but you never know when there's going to be a curveball thrown in there!

Want to be flush with cash?

Whether it's saving up for a down payment, covering renovations, or just trying to make your monthly rent or mortgage payment feel a little less painful, wouldn't it be nice if you could put your current home to work for you?

Well, one man recently went viral after deciding to sell ad space… on his toilet. What started as a joke quickly turned into a business, with major brands actually lining up to get their logos featured in his bathroom.

Not exactly the most traditional way to bring in extra income… but maybe it'll inspire you to look around your home and find a clever way to cash in on something you never even thought of.

13% of home buyers think they need 20% down…

Years ago, you almost always needed a 20% down payment to buy a home. That is far from true anymore, but a lot of people (13% of buyers, in fact) think they still need to save up that much in order to buy a home!

The reality is, just under 75% of buyers put down 10% or less on their homes. But if you aren't aware of that, you can easily find yourself feeling like it is impossible to save up enough money for a down payment.

I recently published an article that dives a little deeper into this, and how to find out if buying a home might be more within reach than you think.

"How's the market?"

I get that question a lot, and I'm always happy to answer it! But there's no one-size-fits-all answer. That's why this newsletter doesn't include weekly stats or price updates.

Besides, most people don't care about real estate data until it actually matters to them. So instead of stats, I just try to keep this fun and entertaining.

Curious about a specific house? Wonder what your place is worth? Or just want a quick market snapshot?

Just hit reply and ask me! I'm always glad to give you any information, thoughts, or data you want. (And of course, no obligation or pressure! I love any opportunity to talk about the market.)

Trivia Time

Besides the money to buy a house, what did a Russian mortgage company start lending their customers for a couple of hours after closing in 2014?

A) A moving truck

B) A cat

C) A personal maid

D) A company credit card to buy themselves a closing gift

Click the answer you think is correct.

5 hidden costs of house hunting

Buying a home isn't just about the big numbers like down payments and closing costs.

There are also a handful of smaller expenses that tend to show up while you're out looking at homes. Thankfully, they're a lot more enjoyable than you might expect. (Well, except maybe filling the car with gas more often…)

So here's a list of 5 hidden expenses you might want to throw a few bucks at when budgeting for your home search.

The fact is…

Unfortunately, you can't use the money from the game sitting in your closet… but it does put things in perspective. ?

That wraps it up for this week!

Be on the lookout for the next one!

Want to unsubscribe from this newsletter? Simply reply and let me know.

Categories: Weekly Snippet

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Weekly Real Estate Snippet - 13% of home buyers think they need 20% down…But most buyers put down 10% or less

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