This is an opportunity-cost decision with no single right answer, so aim for the smallest down payment that still gets you into a home you'd be happy with. Money left in the market keeps earning whatever return the market gives. Money moved into the house buys you a fixed housing cost and a shot at appreciation. So skip the automatic 20% target and work out the minimum that makes the deal work while keeping you comfortable. A few things make that easier than people expect: - Don't be afraid of mortgage insurance. Rates are fairly similar whether you put down 20%, 15%, or even 5%, and for a well-qualified borrower with strong credit putting 10 to 15% down, the monthly MI cost is usually small. - Selling out of a taxable account can trigger capital gains taxes and drain the reserves that keep you safe after closing. Preserving liquidity and avoiding an unnecessary tax bill often beats forcing your way to 20% down. We're describing the trade-off, not giving tax advice, so run the tax piece past your CPA. - Borrowing against the portfolio instead of selling is generally possible, but the loan payment counts in your debt-to-income, and the terms and margin-call triggers vary by program. It can affect qualifying in ways a stock plan won't warn you about. That last option needs a real conversation before you assume it works, which is exactly what the free Roadmap conversation is for: about 20 minutes where we run your real numbers.