 for a while to set up my down payment. However, even to get a down payment large enough to get a 15-year mortgage with a payment that is at least less than 25% of my bring home seems to be impossible. Sounds like your bring home pay is low. Mm-hmm. What are you bringing home? My gross is $70,000, I think, after taxes. I bring home around $52,000. Mm-hmm. Okay.