Saving for a house as a couple: how much you need and how to get there
The down payment is the number everyone talks about, but it's only part of the cash you'll need. Add closing costs and a cushion, divide by what you can save each month, and you have a real date.
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Key takeaways
- Plan for the down payment plus closing costs, which the CFPB says typically run 2 to 5 percent of the price, and keep an emergency cushion on top.
- Divide the remaining target by what you save each month to get a realistic timeline, then decide how each of you contributes.
- Lenders look at both of you on a joint application, and unmarried buyers should put ownership terms in writing.
What the house money is for
Before you pick a monthly savings amount, list what the money has to cover. Couples often plan only for the down payment.
The down payment
The down payment is the part of the price you pay upfront. You borrow the rest. In most cases you need at least 3 percent of the home price, and many loan types and lenders require 5 percent or more, according to the CFPB's guide to deciding on your down payment (consumerfinance.gov). The same page notes that a bigger down payment generally makes the loan cost less, and that you'll save the most by putting down at least 20 percent.
Below 20 percent, you'll typically pay for mortgage insurance, and some loan types, such as FHA loans, require it regardless of the down payment. It protects the lender if you fall behind on payments, as the CFPB explains in its answer on how mortgage insurance works (consumerfinance.gov). That cost is part of the trade-off between buying sooner with less down and waiting to save more.
Closing costs
Closing costs are the fees you pay to get the loan and finalize the purchase. On the same down payment page (consumerfinance.gov), the CFPB says they typically run 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price, on top of the down payment. They depend on the price, your down payment, the lender, the kind of loan and where you buy.
A cash cushion you don't spend
A house comes with surprise repairs, and draining every account to close leaves you exposed. On the same down payment page (consumerfinance.gov), the CFPB suggests setting aside an emergency cushion before deciding what you can put down, with a rule of thumb of at least three to six months of expenses. It also notes that moving, utility setup, repairs and furniture add up too, so count them separately. To size the cushion from your essential costs, see how much emergency fund you need.
How much to save for a house, worked out
Take a couple looking at homes around $300,000. They want to put 10 percent down, their essential costs come to about $5,000 a month, and they've already saved $6,000 toward the house.
- Down payment: 10 percent of $300,000 is $30,000.
- Closing costs: 2 to 5 percent of $300,000 is $6,000 to $15,000. They plan for 3 percent, or $9,000.
- Moving and setup: they estimate $3,000.
- House fund total: $30,000 + $9,000 + $3,000 = $42,000.
- Still to save: $42,000 − $6,000 already saved = $36,000.
- Timeline: $36,000 ÷ $1,500 a month = 24 months.
The emergency cushion sits outside that $42,000. At the low end of the CFPB's rule of thumb, three months of their $5,000 in essential costs is $15,000, and they keep it in place whether or not they buy. If they don't have it yet, building it comes first, or alongside the house fund.
Change the down payment and the date moves a lot. At 20 percent down, the fund becomes $60,000 + $9,000 + $3,000 = $72,000. After the $6,000 already saved, that's $66,000 to go, or 44 months at $1,500 a month. Neither option is right for everyone. It depends on how long you're willing to wait, what mortgage insurance would cost you, and how prices move where you want to live.
If you're not sure what $1,500 a month means for each of your paychecks, the paycheck calculator estimates take-home pay so you can see what's realistic.
Where to keep your house fund
Money you plan to spend in a year or two needs to be there, at full value, on closing day. That's why many couples keep a house fund in a savings or money market deposit account, apart from everyday checking, so it doesn't get spent by accident.
At an FDIC-insured bank, deposits are covered up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, for each ownership category. That includes checking, savings, money market deposit accounts and certificates of deposit. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds and crypto assets aren't covered. A joint account is its own ownership category, so each co-owner's share of joint deposits is insured separately from their single accounts. The FDIC lays this out in understanding deposit insurance (fdic.gov), and coverage is automatic at an insured bank.
A joint savings account is the simplest way to see one shared number. If you aren't ready for a joint account, each of you can save in your own account and agree to track the combined total. Either way, agree where the money sits and check the total together.
How to split saving for a house
In the example, the couple saves $1,500 a month. How they divide it depends on their incomes and how they already run their money. Say one takes home $6,000 a month and the other $4,000.
Equal amounts
Each of you puts in the same amount. In the example, that's $750 each.
Works when: Your incomes are close, or you each want an equal stake in the down payment.
Watch for: If incomes differ a lot, the same amount takes a much bigger bite out of the lower earner's pay.
By income
Each of you contributes the same share of take-home pay. With $6,000 and $4,000 a month, that's 60/40, or $900 and $600.
Works when: Your incomes differ and you want the effort to feel even.
Watch for: If you aren't married, decide whether unequal contributions mean unequal ownership, and write it down.
All in one pot
Both paychecks go into shared accounts, and the $1,500 moves to savings from there.
Works when: You already pool your money and think of savings as one household number.
Watch for: Nobody tracks who put in what, which is simple until a breakup or a disagreement about the house.
Whichever you pick, set the transfers to run automatically on payday, so saving happens before spending. The same choices come up with everyday costs, which how couples split bills covers in more detail.
If we each put in a share of our take-home every payday, how soon could we have enough for a place?
Applying for a mortgage together, married or not
When you apply jointly, married or not, lenders treat you as co-borrowers. Together you need enough income to make the payments, and lenders can't discriminate against you based on marital status, according to the CFPB's post on buying a home on your own or with someone else (consumerfinance.gov). Lenders look at both of your credit scores, and a poor score can count against you both, according to the CFPB's answer on a spouse's credit score (consumerfinance.gov).
That means one partner's weaker credit can raise what you both pay. The same CFPB answer suggests that if one of you has much better credit, applying in that person's name alone may get better terms. The trade-off is that only that person is the borrower on the loan, and generally only that person's income counts toward qualifying. If you're married and apply alone, a lender can't deny you credit because of your marital status, though it may ask about your spouse in some cases, such as when you live in a community property state, per the CFPB's answer on applying in your own name (consumerfinance.gov).
Buying a house as an unmarried couple
How you hold title decides what happens to each person's share if you split up or one of you dies. The CFPB describes three common forms. With joint tenancy with right of survivorship, owners share equally, and if one dies, their share passes to the other automatically. With tenancy in common, each owner can sell or transfer their own share, and if one dies, it goes according to their will or state inheritance law. Tenancy by the entirety is for married couples and isn't available in every state.
Property and inheritance laws differ widely by state, and not every state offers every kind of title. If you're buying with someone you aren't married to, the CFPB suggests having a lawyer draw up a simple contract that spells out each person's responsibilities and what happens if one of you can't keep them. That's also the place to record unequal down payment contributions.
A timeline for saving for a house together
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two years or more out | Agree on a price range and a fund total. Open a separate savings account and set automatic transfers on payday. |
| 12 to 24 months out | Check both credit reports and work down card balances. Build the emergency cushion if it isn't there yet. |
| 6 to 12 months out | Recheck the fund total against current prices. Decide whose names go on the loan and the title, and talk to a lawyer if you aren't married. |
| 3 to 6 months out | Talk to more than one lender about what you'd qualify for. |
| Once you've found a home | Request Loan Estimates from more than one lender and compare the closing costs and cash to close. |
| Closing | Confirm the final cash you need, move it from savings, and leave the emergency cushion where it is. |
A Loan Estimate shows a loan's estimated closing costs and the estimated cash you'll need to close. The CFPB's Loan Estimate explainer (consumerfinance.gov) recommends requesting them from several lenders, because loan costs vary between lenders and between kinds of loans.
One number you both can see
When the house money sits in two accounts, it's easy to lose track of the combined total. Seeing it in one place makes the monthly check-in quick.
Common questions
How much should a couple save for a house?
Add up the down payment you're aiming for, closing costs of roughly 2 to 5 percent of the price, and moving costs, then keep a separate emergency cushion of at least three to six months of expenses. For a $300,000 home with 10 percent down and closing costs of 3 percent, that's $42,000 including $3,000 for moving, plus the cushion.
Do you need 20 percent down?
No. In most cases you need at least 3 percent, and many loans require 5 percent or more. Putting down 20 percent or more generally lowers what the loan costs, and below 20 percent you'll typically pay for mortgage insurance. The right amount depends on how long you want to wait and what the smaller down payment would cost you.
Can an unmarried couple buy a house together?
Yes. Lenders evaluate you as co-borrowers whether or not you're married, and they can't discriminate based on marital status. Decide how you'll hold title, and consider having a lawyer write a simple agreement about who pays what and what happens if you split up. Title rules vary by state.
Should only one of us apply for the mortgage?
It depends. On a joint application, lenders look at both scores, and a weak one can count against you both, so applying in the name of the partner with stronger credit may get better terms. But then only that person is the borrower on the loan, and generally only that person's income counts toward qualifying. Compare offers both ways if you can.
See your savings together
The Free plan works on your own, so you can start with just your accounts. The Couple plan adds your partner, and each account is Private, Shared or Balance only.
Budgeting is free, forever · No card to start · Invite your partner when you're ready, on the Couple plan · Founding prices are open
General education, not financial, legal or tax advice. Your situation may differ.
How we write these guides
Every guide is written by Miyo's founder, dated, and checked against government sources such as the FDIC, CFPB and IRS wherever it states a money fact. Product claims describe only what Miyo does today. If something here is out of date, tell us. Contact support.