U.S. Homebuyers' Down Payment Percentage Declines
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 days ago
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Should l Buy RKT?
Source: Newsfilter
- Declining Down Payment Percentage: In December 2025, the average down payment percentage for U.S. homebuyers fell to 15.2%, down 1.5 percentage points from 16.7% a year earlier, indicating a shift towards more affordable housing options amid high prices and economic uncertainty.
- Change in Down Payment Amount: The typical down payment amount was $64,000, marking the first decline in five months, which suggests that buyers are gaining more negotiating power in a market where supply exceeds demand.
- Mortgage Rate Impact: Although mortgage rates remain above the historical lows seen during the pandemic, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has decreased to 6.09%, helping to lower monthly payments and potentially drawing more homebuyers into the market.
- Significant Regional Variations: Among major metros, San Francisco had the highest median down payment at $400,310, while Virginia Beach had the lowest at $8,700, highlighting substantial disparities in homebuying capacity across different regions.
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Analyst Views on RKT
Wall Street analysts forecast RKT stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 18.370
Low
18.00
Averages
22.18
High
25.00
Current: 18.370
Low
18.00
Averages
22.18
High
25.00
About RKT
Rocket Companies, Inc. is a fintech platform including mortgage, real estate and personal finance businesses: Rocket Mortgage, Redfin, Mr. Cooper, Rocket Homes, Rocket Close, Rocket Money, and Rocket Loans. The Company's full suite of products empowers its clients across financial wellness, personal loans, home search, mortgage finance, title and closing. Through these businesses, it delivers client solutions leveraging its Rocket platform. It operates in two segments: Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. In the Direct to Consumer segment, clients have the ability to interact with Rocket Mortgage digitally and/or with the Company's mortgage bankers. It provides client service and leverages its brand to strengthen its wholesale relationships, through Rocket Pro, as well as enterprise partnerships, both driving growth in its Partner Network segment. The Company's capabilities span the entirety of homeownership, such as home search, financing, title, closing and servicing.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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