• MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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    4 hours ago

    And there’s no mortgage, so you don’t need a big down payment to move in.

    I am not quite following you here. What do you mean there’s no mortgage? (Other than if you have the cash, and thus don’t need a loan)

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      42 minutes ago

      What do you mean there’s no mortgage?

      Most people don’t buy a home outright. They take out a long-term low-interest loan (mortgage literally means “pledge till death” although they typically only last 15-30 years) to pay back the house in installments. However, before you can take out this loan, banks will often demand a down payment equal to 20% of the total value of the property. With the high price of housing, this down payment can be substantial - a $500k house requires a $100k down payment.

      Renters don’t need to make these large advanced payments in order to get access to a rental unit. You aren’t required to have $100k in the bank before you get your own place.