Cash-to-close, explained without the scary number

"Cash-to-close" is the total money you bring on closing day. It sounds terrifying because people hear "20% down" and panic. Forget that number — most first-time buyers don't put 20% down.

Cash-to-close is really just three buckets added together:

Down payment — your share of the purchase price (often 3–3.5%, not 20%).

Closing costs — lender and service fees, usually 2–5% of the price.

Escrow/prepaids — a few months of taxes and insurance paid upfront.

The big idea: assistance programs are designed to attack this exact number. Down-payment help, grants, and lender credits all chip away at cash-to-close, sometimes down to almost nothing.

Next: KevaAI estimates your cash-to-close after stacking assistance — so you see the real figure, not the scary one.