Why does down payment vary across Virginia?

Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.

Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.

Can I find lower-down options?

Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.

Buyer authority VA

Estimated owner-finance down payment by city in Virginia.

Down payments scale with home prices but flex by financing type. This ranks Virginia cities by an estimated typical down payment on an owner-financed or low-down deal (12% of estimated median home value). This is a modeled directional comparison, not a survey of actual closings.

Last updated November 2026

Virginia ranking

50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.

#	City	Est. typical down payment	Score
1	Coeburn	$28,100	78	View →
2	Bassett	$28,300	77	View →
3	Lawrenceville	$28,300	77	View →
4	Galax	$29,500	76	View →
5	Farmville	$29,800	76	View →
6	South Boston	$29,600	76	View →
7	Dillwyn	$29,900	76	View →
8	Hillsville	$29,900	76	View →
9	Buena Vista	$29,500	76	View →
10	Stuart	$29,200	76	View →
11	Blackstone	$29,600	76	View →
12	Ridgeway	$29,600	76	View →
13	Grundy	$29,400	76	View →
14	Radford	$30,500	75	View →
15	Emporia	$30,700	75	View →
16	Pulaski	$30,100	75	View →
17	Big Stone Gap	$30,800	75	View →
18	Rocky Mount	$31,800	74	View →
19	Franklin	$31,600	74	View →
20	Chatham	$31,100	74	View →
21	Danville	$32,500	73	View →
22	Martinsville	$32,000	73	View →
23	Marion	$31,900	73	View →
24	Wytheville	$32,000	73	View →
25	South Hill	$32,500	73	View →
26	Collinsville	$32,000	73	View →
27	Bedford	$33,100	72	View →
28	Madison Heights	$32,900	72	View →
29	Orange	$33,600	72	View →
30	Amherst	$33,500	72	View →
31	Woodstock	$33,100	72	View →
32	Covington	$33,700	71	View →
33	Elkton	$33,700	71	View →
34	Lebanon	$35,300	70	View →
35	Colonial Beach	$35,200	70	View →
36	Hopewell	$35,900	69	View →
37	Dublin	$35,900	69	View →
38	Wise	$36,100	69	View →
39	Appomattox	$36,100	69	View →
40	Rustburg	$36,100	69	View →
41	Gate City	$35,800	69	View →
42	Evington	$35,600	69	View →
43	Bristol	$36,600	68	View →
44	Louisa	$37,200	68	View →
45	Luray	$36,700	68	View →
46	Stuarts Draft	$36,800	68	View →
47	Portsmouth	$37,400	67	View →
48	Petersburg	$37,900	67	View →
49	Vinton	$37,600	67	View →
50	Lexington	$38,800	66	View →

Methodology

Estimated down = 12% of estimated median home value (representative of owner-financed and low-down deals). Conventional loans typically require 20%; FHA can be 3.5%. Use as a directional comparison.

FAQ

Why does down payment vary across Virginia?: Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.
Is 12% realistic?: Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.
Can I find lower-down options?: Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.