How much a median down payment costs in metro Denver

Data: Redfin analysis of county records; Note: National data calculated from the 40 most populous U.S. metro areas; Chart: Axios Visuals

You'll need a little more money for a down payment to land your Denver dream home.

The big picture: The median down payment for a home in metro Denver was $70,000 in February, up about 7% from February 2023, according to data from Redfin.

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State of play: Homebuyers are reaching deeper into their pockets on the front end to lower their monthly mortgage payments , Redfin researchers say.

• The median U.S. down payment in February was 15% of the purchase price, up from 10% a year earlier , per the report.
• The median down payment in metro Denver was 12.7% of the purchase price.

Between the lines: Those who put at least 20% down can avoid the added cost of private mortgage insurance .

The bottom line: First-time buyers are still struggling to get their feet in the door.

• They don't have equity from selling a home to boost their down payment, and they're often competing against cash buyers , according to Redfin.

Go deeper: What people are sacrificing to afford housing