is 20% down still the magic number for homebuyers?

I've gotta wonder though, is PMI really the big bad wolf everyone makes it out to be? Sure, it's an extra cost, but if home prices keep climbing faster than you can save, isn't paying a bit of PMI now better than chasing your tail forever? I mean, my first place had PMI and yeah, it stung a little each month—but looking back, I'm glad I jumped in when I did. Maybe the real magic number is whatever gets you in the door without losing sleep...

I went the PMI route too, and honestly, it wasn't the nightmare some folks warned me about. Sure, it felt annoying at first, but home prices jumped way faster than my savings could keep up. Looking back, getting in sooner was totally worth the temporary pinch.