Overview
- In Realtor.com’s 2025 analysis, the national saving timeline improved to about seven years from a 12-year peak in 2022, after a brief surge to roughly 16 years in April 2022.
- The typical down payment more than doubled since 2019, rising from about $13,900 in Q3 2019 to $30,400 in Q3 2025.
- The 2025 average personal savings rate of 5.1% trails the pre-pandemic norm of 6.5%, slowing households’ ability to build down payment funds.
- High-cost coastal metros still require decades to save, including San Francisco at 36.5 years, San Jose at 36.2, Los Angeles at 34.1, and New York at 23.4.
- Southern and military-linked markets offer faster paths, with VA loan usage easing upfront cash needs and the quickest timelines in San Antonio (1.3 years), Virginia Beach (2.0), Memphis (2.5), and Houston (3.5).