While you may have heard of the “20 percent rule” for home down payments, it’s possible to purchase a brand-new house with as little as 3.5 percent down – or even nothing at all. Conventional loan down payment requirements range from 3 to 10 percent; VA and USDA loans don’t require a down payment at all, and FHA loans require just 3.5 percent.Plus, there are tons of down payment assistance programs that you can turn to for help!.