Let People's Choice Appraisals help you figure out if you can cancel your PMI

It's largely known that a 20% down payment is common when getting a mortgage. The lender's liability is generally only the remainder between the home value and the sum remaining on the loan, so the 20% supplies a nice buffer against the charges of foreclosure, reselling the home, and typical value variations in the event a borrower doesn't pay.

Banks were working with down payments down to 10, 5 and often 0 percent in the peak of last decade's mortgage boom. How does a lender manage the added risk of the low down payment? The solution is Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI. PMI protects the lender if a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the market price of the home is lower than what is owed on the loan.

Since the $40-$50 a month per $100,000 borrowed is compiled into the mortgage payment and often isn't even tax deductible, PMI is costly to a borrower. It's profitable for the lender because they collect the money, and they get the money 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 keep from paying PMI

With the implementation of The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998, on most loans lenders are obligated to automatically eliminate the PMI when the principal balance of the loan equals 78 percent of the original loan amount. Wise home owners can get off the hook ahead of time. The law pledges that, upon request of the homeowner, the PMI must be abandoned when the principal amount equals just 80 percent.

It can take many years to get to the point where the principal is only 20% of the original amount of the loan, so it's crucial to know how your home has appreciated in value. After all, every bit of appreciation you've obtained over time counts towards removing PMI. So why pay it after the balance of your loan has dropped below the 80% threshold? Your neighborhood may not be adhering to the national trends and/or your home may have acquired equity before things simmered down, so even when nationwide trends indicate decreasing home values, you should understand that real estate is local.

An accredited, licensed real estate appraiser can help homeowners understand just when their home's equity goes over the 20% point, as it's a hard thing to know. As appraisers, it's our job to recognize the market dynamics of our area. At People's Choice Appraisals, we're masters at recognizing value trends in Richlands, Onslow County and surrounding areas, and we know when property values have risen or declined. When faced with information from an appraiser, the mortgage company will most often eliminate the PMI with little trouble. At which time, the homeowner can delight in 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