东拼西凑

down payment does not need to reach 20%. if your downpayment is 10%, you have two choices:

1) pay primary mortgage insurance, non-tax deductable.

2) get a second mortgage for the remaining 10%, no need to pay PMI, the interest is tax deductable.

I think 2) is a better choice than 1). PMI is calculated based on how much money you owe now, it will not decrease even if you pay more principal, until your principal reaches 20%, then it goes away. note that at the beginning most of your payment goes to interests, it could take a long time for it to go away.

The short version is you can definitely get it, assume that your monthly payment does not exceed 36% of your monthly gross income. But you need to talk to a mortgage person to figure out the details.

Also, if you are a first-time home buyer, a lot of companies let you borrow from your retirement account. That could also be an option.