The ideal way to buy a house is the 100%-down plan—save up and pay cash for the whole house. Sounds weird, but as you’ve seen in the Chapter 4 video, it can be done. If paying cash for a house seems too far out of reach, you can still buy a house if you make wise choices. Save at least a 10% down payment and stick with a 15-year (or less) fixed-rate mortgage. Limit your monthly payment to 25% or less of your monthly take-home pay. Why is a 15-year (or less) mortgage better than a 30-year mortgage?