this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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In the US, if you're a first time homebuyer you can buy a home with zero cash in hand. You can roll closing costs into the mortgage and have no down-payment. You'll pay more out of pocket for a few years but in many areas it's still cheaper than rent - and rent just keeps going up while a mortgage stays the same. Many states also have free programs where you can take a class and they'll give you a grant towards buying a home.
Credit unions tend to have the best rates. Get into a credit union even if it's just a secondary account that you toss $5 into each paycheck.
Also, there are programs through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for first time homebuyers that prioritizes them over investors. This is the easiest way to get into homeownership but the houses are usually fixer uppers.
FYI if you get a FHA loan, you can't remove the PMI at all without refinancing. This was implemented after the crash in '07/'08. You can still get a conventional loan without doing the full 20%. I put around 10% down and just dropped PMI after about 4 years, though I likely could have removed it earlier if I'd paid for a new appraisal due to the increased property value.