Buyers trying to make a home affordable may accept less space, a smaller or no garage, a different home type, or a less convenient location. Recent U.S. surveys show growing willingness to trade away some space, but safety remains a priority for many prospective buyers. A smaller down payment may lower the cash needed upfront; it does not, by itself, establish that the monthly payment or long-term costs are manageable. The right compromise depends on the household, the property, and the local market.
What are buyers willing to give up?
Survey respondents increasingly say they would accept less space. In an October 2025 summary of the America at Home Study, the National Association of REALTORS® reported that 40% of respondents were willing to accept a smaller home in April 2025, compared with 21% in October 2022. The share willing to accept a smaller or no garage rose from 22% to 33%, while the share willing to accept smaller rooms rose from 16% to 25%. These are stated preferences, not a count of completed purchases.
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Those results suggest a practical distinction: buyers may be more flexible about the size or layout of a home than about whether it meets their core daily needs. Teri Slavik Tsuyuki, co-founder of America at Home and co-chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Communities & Real Estate Initiative, said, “The problem is that a lot of the housing stock isn’t fitting what Americans increasingly say they’re looking for,” Belinda Sward, co-founder of the America at Home Study and founder of Strategic Solutions Alliance, said, “Today’s consumers are trading space for experience and connection.” NAR’s October 2025 summary provides the survey context.
Which trade-offs deserve extra caution?
Safety and resilience
In a Redfin-commissioned Ipsos survey fielded in May 2025, 78% of 1,224 prospective U.S. buyers planning to buy within 12 months called personal safety a must-have, 74% said a low crime rate was a must-have, and 68% said low natural-disaster risk was a must-have. At the same time, 22% said they would compromise on personal safety to afford a home. The report gives a credibility interval of ±3.4 percentage points. These responses describe preferences; they are not a reason to discount safety concerns when evaluating a particular property or area. Redfin’s survey report explains the question and sample.
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Location and everyday access
A lower-priced home farther from work or daily needs can shift costs into commuting time, transportation, and logistics. The Redfin survey identifies grocery access among highly valued features, while NAR’s study of prospective buyers reports job location as a common factor in location choice. Consider the route and daily routine that a location would require, not only its distance on a map. The studies do not establish a universal acceptable commute or a single best location.
Condition and repair work
An older or less updated property may offer a lower purchase price, but the available sources do not quantify likely repair costs. NAR’s 2025 buyer profile says some buyers chose new construction in part to avoid renovation or major repair issues. If comparing a home that needs work with a move-in-ready option, weigh the discount against expected repairs, time, disruption, and the cash you would have left after closing. The cited survey findings do not substitute for property-specific evaluation.
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How does a smaller down payment change the decision?
Zillow Research’s 2025 Consumer Housing Trends Report found that 52% of prospective mortgage buyers planned to put down less than 20%; the median planned down-payment range was 10%–19%. The report also found that 52% had paused or delayed the mortgage process at least once to save for a down payment. These are reported plans and experiences, not loan recommendations or guarantees about future borrowing.
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A lower down payment may reduce the initial cash hurdle, but compare the loan terms and full monthly cost rather than treating the upfront amount as the affordability test. Include principal and interest, property taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance where applicable, HOA fees, utilities, maintenance, and expected repairs. Also consider how much cash would remain for emergencies after closing. The cited survey does not determine which down payment or loan is right for an individual buyer. Zillow’s prospective-buyer findings describe the reported intentions.
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Why affordability pressure can mean different things to different buyers
In NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, covering transactions from July 2024 through June 2025, first-time buyers represented 21% of buyers—the lowest share since tracking began in 1981. Median down payments were 10% for first-time buyers and 23% for repeat buyers. NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research Jessica Lautz described the market as “a tale of two cities.” The profile reflects a market in which buyers with different financial starting points may face very different constraints; it does not predict the circumstances of any particular buyer. NAR’s profile announcement gives the period and figures.
National affordability estimates can help explain the pressure without setting a personal budget. Redfin estimated that, in December 2025, a household needed $111,252 in annual income to afford the typical U.S. home under its convention that monthly housing payments should take no more than 30% of income. For comparison, Redfin estimated $76,020 was needed for a typical rental and put estimated median household income at $86,185. These are model-based national estimates for that month, not an affordability calculation for a specific home, buyer, or local market. Redfin’s report describes its estimates and convention.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare homes when each requires a compromise
For each property under consideration, compare the same categories using current, property-specific figures. A simple written comparison can reveal whether the apparent savings come with costs or inconveniences your household would not willingly accept.
- Total cost: Estimate the purchase price and monthly payment, then add taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance where applicable, HOA fees, utilities, maintenance, and likely repairs.
- Space and flexibility: Check bedroom count, room sizes, storage, garage needs, and whether rooms can serve more than one purpose. Consider how well the layout works for your household now and as needs change.
- Location and access: Account for work, groceries, other everyday needs, transportation, and the support network you rely on. Consider the actual routine, not just the purchase price.
- Safety and resilience: Assess personal safety, crime concerns, and natural-disaster risk as distinct factors. Survey results show that many buyers treat them as must-haves, but cannot resolve property-specific questions.
- Condition and project tolerance: Compare any price reduction with repair expenses, time, disruption, and the remaining cash cushion. Do not assume a lower listing price makes the work affordable.
- Financing and liquidity: Compare down payment, loan terms, monthly obligations, cash reserves after closing, and any assistance for which you may qualify.
There is no universally best compromise in the available evidence. A smaller home, longer commute, older condition, or lower down payment can have very different consequences depending on a household’s needs and local costs.
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Check for assistance before treating the cash hurdle as fixed
NAR’s Experiences & Barriers of Prospective Home Buyers study found that only 23% of REALTORS® surveyed said buyers facing the described challenges had applied for down-payment assistance; about one-third of consumers said they were unaware of such programs. These are findings from different respondent groups, not a measure of eligibility or the number of programs available in any area. Assistance rules and availability vary locally. A local housing agency or homebuyer counseling service can help identify programs and explain their requirements. NAR’s study provides the survey context.
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