FinanceFirst Down-Payment Clock, 2026

Purpose
Estimate the time required to save cash equal to a 10% down payment plus 3% closing costs on a typical home in 50 large U.S. metro areas.

Source
Zillow Group, January 15, 2026: https://investors.zillowgroup.com/news-and-events/news/news-details/2026/Homes-should-be-affordable-in-20-major-markets-by-years-end-the-most-since-2022/default.aspx
Zillow reports the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), monthly mortgage cost with 20% down, and the share of median household income used by that mortgage cost.

Calculations
1. Implied annual income proxy = Zillow monthly mortgage cost x 12 / Zillow income share.
2. Required cash = ZHVI x 13% (10% down payment plus a 3% closing-cost assumption).
3. Annual saving = annual income proxy x 10%.
4. Months to save = required cash / annual saving x 12.

Limitations
This is a scenario, not a forecast or affordability determination. Zillow's cost and income-share fields assume 20% down, while FinanceFirst's cash hurdle assumes 10% down plus 3% closing costs. The calculation does not estimate taxes, insurance, PMI, investment returns, debt, household composition, local assistance, price changes, or actual savings behavior. ZHVI is a typical home-value metric, not a starter-home sales price.