The Dallas Morning News quoted me in Asking for Help with Down Payment Can Often Be Difficult. It reads, in part,

How do you ask a question when no one wants to talk about the subject?

Often, it’s quite clumsily, without much effort at sparking an honest exchange.

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Before asking, hopeful buyers should investigate options, said David Reiss, a real estate professor at The Brooklyn Law School.

“You would want to press your lenders to identify all first-time homebuyer programs you might be eligible for,” Reiss suggested.

The Federal Housing Administration offers loans with low down payments, and many state housing finance agencies offer low or no-down loans to eligible buyers, he noted.

In any case, said Reiss, “It would be helpful to know your options when speaking with family members about a gift.

“They might be willing to give a smaller gift for an FHA mortgage, or they might be willing to make a larger gift if they see that it would result in lower monthly payments for your,” Reiss said.

“And the mere fact you did this type of research is evidence that you are a financially responsible adult,” he concluded.