Down Payment Calculator

Interactive tool

The live form, validation, and result state for Down Payment Calculator load after the page scripts run. The content below summarizes how the tool works and links to related pages in the catalog.

Estimate down payment amount, loan balance, PMI threshold gap, and cash to close using home price, closing costs, earnest money, seller credits, and available cash.

How to use Down Payment Calculator

1. 1

   Enter your inputs into the Down Payment Calculator form.

2. 2

   Adjust optional settings so the scenario matches your real-world case.

3. 3

   Review the result, then tweak one variable at a time to compare outcomes.

4. 4

   Keep your best scenario as a baseline for future decisions.

Housing decisions depend on local costs, lender rules, and market conditions. Validate these estimates with location-specific quotes.

Best use cases

When to use this vs related tools

• Use Down Payment Calculator when you already have a purchase target and want to compare the equity goal against total buyer cash required at closing.
• Use Closing Cost Calculator when the main question is which fee, escrow, or prepaid item is driving cash to close.
• Use Mortgage Calculator when you want to see how the chosen down payment changes the monthly payment and PMI exposure.

Worked example

Target down payment example

A buyer can compare whether a 10% down plan is enough for the desired purchase price or whether the full cash picture still points toward waiting.

• Enter the home price and target down payment first so the initial loan amount is realistic.
• Add closing-cost rate, earnest money, and seller credits to estimate what the buyer still needs to bring to closing.
• Check the PMI threshold gap and available cash together before assuming the target down payment is truly ready.

Down-payment planning is strongest when equity goal, cash to close, and post-close cash runway are evaluated at the same time.

Methodology

• The tool converts the selected down payment target into a dollar amount, then estimates loan amount, loan-to-value, and closing costs from the entered purchase assumptions.
• Earnest money and seller credits reduce the remaining cash-to-close requirement after closing costs are added.
• A PMI threshold comparison shows how much additional down payment would be needed to reach a target equity benchmark such as 20%.