You rarely get a loan for 100% of the home's purchase price. You must put down a percentage of the cost upfront. While 20% is ideal to avoid paying extra insurance, many loan programs allow as little as 3% to 5% down. 2. Loan Terms and Interest Rates

When you make a monthly mortgage payment, your money usually goes toward four distinct things. Financial experts use the acronym to describe them: Principal: The actual amount of money you borrowed.

Mortgage loans make buying a home possible by covering the cost upfront, allowing you to pay it back over time.

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Always get a pre-approval letter from a lender before you start looking at houses so you know exactly what you can afford!

Higher monthly payments, but you pay much less interest over time.