If you’re watching home prices head north and wonder how you’ll ever come up with a down payment, your state might have a way to help.

Enter so-called “first-time home buyer savings accounts.”

Various state legislatures have authorized these programs, which come with varying tax advantages for people saving up to buy a house. Oregon and Alabama recently joined about a half-dozen other states that have passed bills creating these options. Others are actively considering them.

“The accounts are designed to provide renters with a tax-advantaged opportunity to save for their down payment,” said Jared Walczak, a senior policy analyst for the Tax Foundation in Washington. “In some states, it’s not just for first-time buyers, but for those who haven’t owned a home in a number of years.”

First-time buyers are a shrinking portion of home sales. Last year, the share stood at 32 percent, according to a 2017 survey by the National Association of Realtors. That’s lower than the long-term average of 40 percent.

“That’s statistically important,” said Todd Umbenhauer, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors. “Far fewer first-time home buyers are entering the market.”

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