20% down is standard but think about it why keep $ in your savings rather than put it in land? You will make no to little interest where your land will gain much more value every year its a much better investment. Obviously you need some emergency $ but you never here anyone one say "darn i wish i wouldnt have bought that land".
I disagree. Plenty of people can get themselves in trouble by buying property. Especially if they leverage themselves and are cash poor. (Which is kind of what the OP is sounding like).
What is the land? Hunting land? Gonna build a house someday? Today?
I agree that depleting my savings is not a wise investment. Being a small business owner that could cripple me if something happens and the business needs something. I need to have a safety net, and I don't want or have any desire to take that away, despite my desire to have a place to call my own (and my son's greater desire).
Ideally, would be looking at raw land or something with a cheap cabin or manufactured home on it we could live in temporarily and then ultimately build a nice small cabin to live in as we get a little older. Something with a nice house on it doesn't interest me at all since most houses are someone else's style and not the wifes, and are built to meet their needs and not ours. Plus, those really jack prices up. Seems raw land is the way to go. But, sounds like I need a couple more years to build up the savings before I can afford the down payment for what I am looking for...nobody said patience is easy right?