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For those gearing up to buy a home in Greater Wilmington or Southeastern Pennsylvania, the down payment may be the one factor that's slowing down your momentum. However, the days of 20 percent down or no deal are gone! Homebuyers today can purchase a home with as little as 3 to 5 percent down— cutting down on the time it will take to save.

But if you're still worried about how you can possibly save enough to buy your dream home in Wilmington or Newark, Chester County or Delaware County PA, the KG Home Team has provided a few ideas! Consider the following four ways you can save for a down payment this year:

Cut out your daily coffee trip
Do you make a trip to the coffee shop every day before work? Or do you rely on a coffee pick-me-up in the afternoons? Simply cutting out this seemingly inexpensive habit can have a big impact on your down payment savings. With the average price of a latte around $3.50 and paying for coffee every work day, you are spending almost $1,000 a year!

Why not take the amount you would spend and open a down payment savings? At the end of the year, you could be well on your way to purchasing a home!

Cut out your gym membership
While you're saving for a home in Delaware or Pennsylvania, you might like to consider cutting out your expensive gym membership. There are always ways you can keep up on your fitness outside of the gym as you're preparing to become a homeowner! For example, with the average cost of a gym membership around $50 per month, you could save around $600 toward your next home!

Cut your cable package
One of the priciest monthly expenses you may have is your cable package. The average monthly cable bill can total $100, which means you could be spending close to $1,200 alone on TV! Think of what that amount could add to your down payment savings!

Cut your daily lunch expense
If every day around lunch time has you heading to a nearby restaurant or take-out spot with co-workers, you might want to think twice. Spending an average of $11 per day on lunch, 5 days per week, adds up to $2,860 per year! 

Adding each of these together, you could have a down payment quicker than you thought and be ready to purchase a home as early as next year or even the next few months! Do not hesitate to give the ​KG Home Team a call with any questions you have about buying a home in the Wilmington or Newark areas, Chester County or Delaware County PA!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty

Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
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Wilmington, DE Real Estate: Saving for a Down Payment

by Katina Geralis

According to new research from RealtyTrac, saving enough money for a down payment—typically 20 percent— could take as long as 12 years for first-time homebuyers. Based on median home prices and the current personal savings rate of 5.6 percent, buyers would need to wait until they're 42 years old to purchase a home

Saving 20 percent for your first Wilmington, Delaware home can be overwhelming, especially when you have additional debt from credit cards or student loans. However, there are other ways to help you save up to buy Wilmington real estate

Consider these 4 easy ways to save for a down payment and if you're still feeling uncertain about buying a home, contact the KG Home Team! We're happy to answer your questions and even offer FREE first-time homebuyer seminars!

​Shop around for better rates
With expenses like car insurance, renter's insurance, cable, internet and a cell phone plan, the costs can put a damper on your saving for a home. Start shopping around for better prices to bring the numbers down. Simply switching to a new provider could help you save hundreds more per month.

Monitor your spending
If you haven't yet, make a budget to help you pin-point your monthly costs and develop a better timeline for buying a home in the Wilmington area. Where is your money going each month? Are there places you could cut back? For instance, dining out is one expense many prospective homebuyers could stand to eliminate.

Negotiate your rent
Rent is likely the largest expense you have per month and the one that would allow you to save more for a down payment. If you're in good standing as a tenant, consider speaking to your landlord about lowering your rent or perhaps downsize to a smaller apartment and deposit the difference in rent into your savings account.

Negotiate your student loan payments
Depending on the type of loan you have, you may be able to scale back on your payments. Speak to your lender or student loan provider about repayment options, including income-based repayment. Lowering your payment each month could allow you to save more for a Wilmington home.

The KG Home Team can help you every step of the way as a first-time homebuyer. If you have questions about down payments, mortgages or the current real estate market, do not hesitate to contact us!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty

Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter

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