International humanitarian organizations claim they still encounter violence and practical challenges when attempting to provide aid throughout the famine-threatened region, following the death of World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza due to an Israel airstrike that drew international condemnation.
A week after the World Central Kitchen attack, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram tells TIME over the phone from Rafah on Sunday about a terrifying and fruitless attempt to deliver aid to north Gaza. While waiting at a checkpoint, the convoy she was traveling in—which had been prearranged with the Israel Defense Forces—was caught in the crossfire. Although Ingram is unsure of the shooter, she believes the shots originated from the direction of the checkpoint, which she calculates to be less than a kilometer (about half a mile) away.
“The IDF works in order to prevent harm to humanitarian teams,” the statement from the IDF tells TIME after an investigation indicates that its forces “were not within firing range of the convoy at the time and place indicated and it was found that no fire was carried out at the vehicle by the IDF.” ”.
In response, Ingram states, “We believe it’s critical that an impartial inquiry be carried out in order to clarify the events that transpired and guarantee that going forward, we have the required security to provide aid.” ”.
The need is dire. One million people in Gaza face an impending famine, according to a warning issued last month by the global authority on food insecurity. The Hamas-run health ministry reported 28 children have died of malnutrition and dehydration as of April 12.
Despite the needs, more than half of recent requested aid missions to north Gaza were unsuccessful, the U. N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported. Between April 6, 2012, and April 7, 2017, Israel facilitated 2041 percent of the missions; the remaining 2041 percent were denied or impeded, including because of hostilities; in 2017, aid groups canceled most of the missions due to logistical constraints.
World Central Kitchen claims that it coordinated its movements with Israel prior to the military attacking its convoy on April 2, demonstrating that even well-planned missions can be risky. Following what Israel described as a “grave mistake,” seven aid workers died as a result, prompting President Joe Biden to issue an ultimatum to Israel: either increase food aid into Gaza and take action to protect civilians, or risk losing U.S. S. support.
In response, Israel declared it would create new channels for the entry of additional aid, including a crossing into the northern Gaza Strip. According to an email sent to TIME by COGAT, the IDF’s humanitarian branch, more than 300 trucks entered Gaza every day last week as part of an increase in aid.
Biden said Wednesday that the number of trucks was still “not enough. ” Data from UNRWA, the U. N. ‘s Palestinian relief organization only slightly increases (the organization counts trucks in a different way than COGAT, according to the Associated Press). COGAT accused the U. N. of failing to gather supplies, sharing a photo of goods stacked inside Gaza on X, and claiming that “the Israeli side is not the bottleneck.” ”.
The U. N. ‘s head has resisted, saying that workers are being threatened by bombardment and fighting because “the real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid.” Since the war began on Oct. 7, 217 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, according to the Aid Worker Security Database.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X that “the increase in aid is not yet tangible, sustained or uninterrupted.” “Aid also needs to reach safely all those in need. ”.
Here’s what Ingram tells TIME about the challenges to delivering aid and the needs. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Saving up enough for a down payment on a house is hard enough, but it’s even harder when housing prices keep climbing year after year. In fact, the median sales price for existing homes has jumped from $266,300 in January 2020 to $359,000 in January 2023. This means that someone trying to save up a 5% down payment would need $13,315 for the average home in January 2020, but $17,950 just three years later.
And that’s just for people trying to save up a 5% down payment. The average first-time home buyer has made an average down payment of 6% to 7% since 2018. For repeat buyers, the average home down payment was around 17% last year.
Minimum Payment by Mortgage Type
While the average down payment amounts are worth exploring, you may also want to note the minimum down payment required for different types of home loans. Keep in mind that this is the minimum amount you’ll need to come up with if you want to buy a home and move when money is tight.
| Mortgage Type | Minimum Down Payment | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) | 5% | These loans offer a temporary teaser rate followed by a variable interest rate that fluctuates based on market conditions |
| Jumbo loan | 10% | Higher credit score and cash reserve requirements often apply with these loans |
| Conventional mortgage | 3% to 5% | Conforming loan limits apply, which are set at $726,200 in most parts of the U.S, in 2023 |
| VA loan | 0% | Eligible military service required |
| USDA loan | 0% | These loans require homes to reside in areas deemed “rural” by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) |
| FHA loan | 3.5% if your credit score is 580 or above | If your credit score is 500 to 580, you’ll need a down payment of 10% |
Down Payment by Age
The median down payment for a home tends to increase dramatically as homebuyers age. This is likely due to a range of factors, including the fact older homebuyers may be closer to their peak earning years, and that they often have built-up home equity from other homes to roll into their new purchase.
| Age Group | Median Down Payment |
|---|---|
| 23 to 31 | 8% |
| 32 to 41 | 10% |
| 42 to 56 | 15% |
| 57 to 66 | 21% |
| 67 to 75 | 28% |
| 76 to 96 | 30% |
Down Payment by State
Considering how widely housing prices vary across the country, it makes sense that the average down payment for a home varies considerably depending on the state in which you live.
| State | Average Home Price (February 2023) | Average Down Payment at 17% |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $261,600 | $44,472 |
| Alaska | $358,900 | $61,013 |
| Arizona | $407,700 | $69,309 |
| Arkansas | $256,300 | $43,571 |
| California | $706,000 | $120,020 |
| Colorado | $545,800 | $92,786 |
| Connecticut | $332,100 | $56,457 |
| Delaware | $300,000 | $51,000 |
| Florida | $389,700 | $66,249 |
| Georgia | $347,900 | $59,143 |
| Hawaii | $670,800 | $114,036 |
| Idaho | $441,400 | $75,038 |
| Illinois | $238,600 | $40,562 |
| Indiana | $231,900 | $39,423 |
| Iowa | $202,100 | $34,357 |
| Kansas | $236,800 | $40,256 |
| Kentucky | $233,600 | $39,712 |
| Louisiana | $243,700 | $41,429 |
| Maine | $335,000 | $56,950 |
| Maryland | $376,400 | $63,988 |
| Massachusetts | $523,600 | $90,542 |
| Michigan | $216,000 | $36,720 |
| Minnesota | $315,000 | $53,550 |
| Mississippi | $257,900 | $43,843 |
| Missouri | $226,500 | $38,505 |
| Montana | $420,572 | $71,497 |
| Nebraska | $265,400 | $45,118 |
| Nevada | $406,500 | $69,105 |
| New Hampshire | $397,200 | $67,524 |
| New Jersey | $419,600 | $71,332 |
| New Mexico | $350,700 | $59,619 |
| New York | $484,600 | $82,382 |
| North Carolina | $340,300 | $57,851 |
| North Dakota | $235,975 | $40,116 |
| Ohio | $210,000 | $35,700 |
| Oklahoma | $229,800 | $39,066 |
| Oregon | $480,900 | $81,753 |
| Pennsylvania | $244,100 | $41,497 |
| Rhode Island | $394,900 | $67,133 |
| South Carolina | $342,500 | $58,225 |
| South Dakota | $293,200 | $49,844 |
| Tennessee | $353,000 | $60,010 |
| Texas | $336,000 | $57,120 |
| Utah | $505,200 | $85,884 |
| Vermont | $338,700 | $57,579 |
| Virginia | $390,900 | $66,453 |
| Washington | $572,400 | $97,308 |
| West Virginia | $284,500 | $48,365 |
| Wisconsin | $264,000 | $44,880 |
| Wyoming | $256,000 | $43,520 |
What Are the Minimum Down Payment Requirements?
As we noted above already, the minimum down payment requirements for a home can vary based on the type of home loan you’ve picked, your credit score, and other factors. As an example, a conventional mortgage typically requires a down payment of 3% to 5%, whereas you may need to put down 10% or more of the purchase price if you need to take out a jumbo mortgage with a larger-than-normal loan amount.
Meanwhile, USDA loans and VA loans for eligible buyers have no down payment requirement.
What Should Be the Down Payment on Your House?
There are many schools of thought when it comes to finding the right down payment for a home, although you’ll definitely be able to access more loan options when your down payment is higher than average. Here’s a breakdown of reasons to consider a down payment from 3% to 20%.
3% down payment:
- With at least 3% of the purchase price of the home you want to purchase stashed away, it’s possible you’ll have enough to qualify for a conventional mortgage with competitive rates and terms.
5% down payment:
What happened after the gunfire ?
We decided that we would continue with the mission. And basically, that just meant continuing to hold until we got the green light. Unfortunately, we held there for at least another two hours. And by that point, it was about 1 p. m. the mission could no longer be carried out because, even if we had been given the go-ahead, we would still have needed to travel to the checkpoint, through the checkpoint, and up north, and we would not have had the time to finish the mission. So we decided that we would turn back and try another day.
Today, we had our redo of our mission to the north. It was a 13-hour mission, and almost six of those hours were spent waiting for the green light. We didn’t get to complete everything, and that’s really disappointing. We were only able to conduct the nutrition and medical aspects of the mission at Kamal Adwan Hospital. We had 45 minutes on the ground at the hospital, that’s it.
We delivered a whole truck of medical and nutrition supplies. It included ready-to-use therapeutic food, which is a treatment for malnutrition, and high energy biscuits.
Can you describe the impacts on your convoy from the gunfire?
We were a convoy of three cars and two trucks. Only one vehicle was hit, that was the one I was in. Three bullets hit us: one hit the car’s hood, two struck the right-hand rear passenger door where I was sitting, one hit the window, and one hit the door. My colleague in one of the other cars, he saw bullets ricocheting off the ground. Ahead of us at the holding point there was another U. N. convoy from the World Food Programme and the United Nations Office for Project Services. They had a bullet go through the windshield of their fuel truck.
We’re very fortunate that we were in an armored vehicle…Fortunately, we were unharmed.
Average Down Payment on a House in 2022 | Debunking the 20% Myth
FAQ
Is it worth putting 20% down on a house?
How much of a down payment do I need for a $300 000 house?
What is a typical down payment for a home?
|
State
|
Median Down Payment
|
Average Down Payment Percentage
|
|
California
|
$85,179
|
18.20%
|
|
Colorado
|
$66,062
|
17.20%
|
|
Connecticut
|
$43,033
|
15.80%
|
|
Delaware
|
$36,052
|
15.60%
|
Is $20000 a good down payment on a house?
What is a typical down payment on a house?
The typical down payment on a house is between 3% and 20% of the purchase price. The amount you’ll be required to put down may vary depending on the loan program you use to finance the home purchase. Government-backed loans like VA and USDA allow for down payments as low as 0%.
How much should you put down on a home?
The average down payment on a home is 12%, according to the National Association of Realtors. For first-time homebuyers, the average down payment is just 7%. Repeat buyers put down an average of 16%. If you can’t put down 20%, you’re in good company. How Much Should You Put Down? How much to put down is a personal decision.
Do you need a down payment on a house?
The minimum amount required for a down payment on a house depends on the type of home you’re buying and the loan you’re using to make the purchase. Some mortgage buyers may be able to qualify for a government-backed home loan with 0% down, but the more common conventional loan usually requires a down payment of at least 3-5%.
What is the average down payment for a house in 2022?
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) states that the average down payment on a house for first-time home buyers is 6% versus 17% for repeat buyers in 2022. However, the share of first-time buyers fell to 22% in 2022, dropping from 34% in 2021. The average down payment for a house differs widely by state due to different home prices.