How Long Does It Take Buyers With Student Loans to Afford a Home?

(RECAP: Graduates of four-year colleges who took out student loans are estimated to spend more than a decade saving up for a 20% down payment on their very own home, according to a recent report. That’s nearly double the 5.3 years it is expected to take those lucky grads who didn’t have to take out loans to fund their education, according to an Apartment List report. The report factors in the financial assistance buyers will receive from friends and family to pay for a $200,000 home. But it did not take into account the various no- or low-down-payment options available for U.S. military personnel (current and retired) and first-time and other eligible buyers. (First-time buyers often score 3.5% down mortgages through the FHA.)