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Realtor.com

Down Payments Fall to Five-Year Q2 Low as Rates Drive Monthly Costs Up 74%

Austin, Texas – September 24, 2026 -- The typical U.S. down payment fell to $27,100 in the second quarter, the lowest second-quarter level since 2021, even as higher mortgage rates pushed estimated monthly payments up 74% over five years to $2,376, according to Realtor.com's second-quarter Down Payment Report.

Down payments drop 9.2% year over year despite seasonal rebound

The median down payment rose seasonally to $27,100, or 13.7% of purchase price, in the second quarter from $25,000, or 12.9%, in the first quarter. That still marked a decline of 9.2% in dollar terms and 0.6 percentage points as a share of price versus the $29,900, or 14.3%, recorded a year earlier. The rebound extended into July, when the typical down payment hit an annual high of $28,800, or 14.0%, still 7.5% below year-ago levels.

Zillow, Realtor.com Launch Joint Pre-Market Listing Feature

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Zillow, Realtor.com Launch Joint Pre-Market Listing Feature

Seattle and Austin, Texas – September 19, 2026 -- Zillow and Realtor.com have simultaneously launched Preview, a pre-market listing feature giving buyers on both platforms identical early access to homes before they hit the MLS, without requiring any brokerage relationship or special login.

The rollout, first announced as a collaboration in May, marks what the companies call the largest pre-market syndication effort in U.S. residential real estate. Listings are labeled as Preview on both sites and appear to buyers at the same time regardless of platform.

More than 400 brokerages have already enrolled in Zillow Preview

Zillow said over 400 brokerage partners are participating, including Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, HomeServices of America, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, United Real Estate, Engel & Völkers and Side, with listing volume continuing to grow.