Buying or owning a home in 2025 brings financial challenges to many Americans, but there are ways you can make homeownership more affordable. Choosing the right type of mortgage and negotiating with the seller are a couple of examples. Below, we discuss these and additional ideas for making homeownership more affordable.

- Refinance high interest loans. If you are weighted down by high interest loans right now, check if there is a way to refinance those loans at a lower interest rate. This can reduce some of the monthly strain on your budget, freeing up more money to put toward a home.
- Get down payment assistance. Get help with your down payment if you need it. We can help you look into state and local down payment assistance programs.
- Negotiate the closing costs with the seller. Depending on the type of loan you are applying for, it may be possible to negotiate with the seller to get them to cover a percentage of your closing costs. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars in upfront costs when you buy a home.
- Choose an energy-efficient home. One trick to making homeownership affordable over the long term is to buy a home that has energy efficiency features such as solar panels, energy-efficient doors and windows, and high quality insulation. These upgrades may add to the initial price, but they will save you money on your electric bills going forward.
- Hack your mortgage. A lifestyle change that can make it easier to afford a home is to “hack” your mortgage. This phrase simply refers to taking in a tenant. You can use the rent that person pays you to help you offset your monthly mortgage cost.
- Choose the right type of home loan. There are many different types of mortgages, including conforming loans, jumbo loans, FHA loans, VA loans and more. Choosing a type of mortgage that is ideal for your financial scenario can help you to keep your costs down both upfront and over your loan term.
- Make a larger down payment if you can. Putting down 20% or more on a home can help you to avoid having to pay for PMI. Some mortgage types can help you avoid PMI as well, regardless of down payment size (VA loans are zero down).
- Refinance if needed. If your existing mortgage has become difficult to keep up with, check into whether refinancing might be able to help you save money. You may be able to extend your loan term, reduce your interest rate, consolidate other high interest debts, or make other cost-saving changes.
Buy a Home or Refinance in Ohio
With the tips and tricks above, you can reduce the cost of home ownership in 2025 and beyond. To buy a home, please give us a call at (614) 505-0620 to schedule your consultation. We are based in Columbus, and can connect you with an affordable mortgage throughout OH.