Putting 20 percent down when purchasing a home was the standard for decades. But in the Bay Area, that may not even be enough anymore. Lenders are raising the bar.
"There are a few loans you can get with 20 percent down, but most lenders have taken their guidelines and want to see 25 percent down and if you are in a declining county, they even want to see you put 30 percent down," mortgage planner Serena Kokjer said.
The one way around a big down payment is private mortgage insurance, but that can cost around $50 a month for every $100,000 you borrow.
