Furr Appraisal Service can help you remove your Private Mortgage Insurance

When getting a mortgage, a 20% down payment is usually the standard. Since the risk for the lender is usually only the difference between the home value and the sum due on the loan, the 20% supplies a nice buffer against the charges of foreclosure, selling the home again, and typical value variationson the chance that a purchaser doesn't pay.

During the recent mortgage upturn of the last decade, it was common to see lenders commanding down payments of 10, 5 or often 0 percent. How does a lender endure the increased risk of the low down payment? The answer is Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI. PMI takes care of the lender if a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the market price of the property is lower than what the borrower still owes on the loan.

PMI is pricey to a borrower because the $40-$50 a month per $100,000 borrowed is lumped into the mortgage monthly payment and generally isn't even tax deductible. It's favorable for the lender because they obtain the money, and they receive payment if the borrower is unable to pay, contradictory to a piggyback loan where the lender consumes all the deficits.

Does your monthly mortgage payment include PMI? Contact us, you may be able to save money by removing your PMI.

How homebuyers can prevent paying PMI

The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 makes the lenders on nearly all loans to automatically cancel the PMI when the principal balance of the loan equals 78 percent of the original loan amount. The law pledges that, at the request of the home owner, the PMI must be released when the principal amount equals only 80 percent. So, acute homeowners can get off the hook sooner than expected.

It can take many years to reach the point where the principal is just 20% of the initial amount borrowed, so it's necessary to know how your home has appreciated in value. After all, any appreciation you've obtained over time counts towards dismissing PMI. So what's the reason for paying it after your loan balance has fallen below the 80% threshold? Even when nationwide trends hint at plunging home values, be aware that real estate is local. Your neighborhood may not be following the national trends and/or your home might have gained equity before things settled down.

A certified, licensed real estate appraiser can help home owners understand just when their home's equity rises above the 20% point, as it's a tough thing to know. It is an appraiser's job to keep up with the market dynamics of their area. At Furr Appraisal Service, we know when property values have risen or declined. We're experts at analyzing value trends in Camden, Benton County and surrounding areas. Faced with information from an appraiser, the mortgage company will often eliminate the PMI with little effort. At which time, the home owner can enjoy the savings from that point on.

Want to learn more about PMI and the Homeowners Protection Act? Click this link:
Cancellation of Private Mortgage Insurance: Federal Law May Save You Hundreds of Dollars Each Year

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