Even though most people start their New Year’s resolutions on January 1, some people add resolutions as the year progresses. For some, that goal is realizing the dream of homeownership. Beginning the process of buying a home can be daunting, but it is easy enough to begin working on the first step – saving for a down payment. According to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 65 percent of home buyers utilize their savings account for a downpayment; however, buyers find many other ways to finance a down payment, including selling stocks or bonds, relying on gifts from friends or relatives, retirement funds or using the proceeds from another home sale.
Beginning to build savings should be a priority for potential buyers because it can take some time. According to NAR’s report, it took half of buyers a year or less to save for a down payment, while another 19 percent said it took between one and two years to build their savings account. Additionally, 29 percent said they needed more than two years to save.