Given todays low interest rates, assuming you can afford the payments. I would put in as much as it would take to not have mortgage insurance. Even if I had t

Given todays low interest rates, assuming you can afford the payments. I would put in as much as it would take to not have mortgage insurance. Even if I had to borrow from a 401K. Having said that, you MUST make sure you are not house poor. All your money goes into your house. Whatever the real estate person says you can afford, take off atleast 20%. Back in 2004 they kept pushing me to spend more and more. And in the end I spent more than I wanted, but still 20% less than what they said I could. Interest rates were like 6.5%, which at the time seemed REAL cheap. I knew many people who struggled with their payments. I did to, but it was more of a struggle against spending. I was not house poor.