Unfortunately, if you don’t have at least 20% to put down on your mortgage when buying a home, you’ll have to buy private mortgage insurance. Also known as PMI, this insurance protects the lender when and if you fall behind on your mortgage payments. The insurance is almost always automatically cancelled when 20% of your mortgage is paid. If the lender doesn’t cancel it, be sure to contact them in writing. There are certain circumstances when the lender may not cancel your private mortgage insurance. If your home has gone down in value, they may not cancel the insurance. If you have another lien on the home, they may not cancel it.
There are a variety of ways you can pay your private mortgage insurance. You can finance the cost of the insurance, paying an additional amount on top of your mortgage payment, you can pay the insurance premium in one lump sum each year, or you may be able to set up separate monthly payments with the lender or the private mortgage insurance company. If you don’t pay your private mortgage insurance in a lump sum, you will have to pay interest just as you would on your car insurance. The interest rates typically run from 1/2 to 1 percent of the total amount that is borrowed, although this number varies from lender to lender.The cost of PMI is based on your credit rating, the type of mortgage you have, and the length of the loan. The good news is, if you earn less than $100,000.00 a year, the private mortgage insurance premiums are tax deductible, although this amount is always subject to change because tax laws often change.Paying PMI can be eliminated if you have paid off at least 20% of your mortgage or if the value of your home has gone up.
If you have remodeled your home, the value more than likely has risen. If you built a garage or any other outside building, if you have installed a new furnace, new plumbing or electrical wiring or done any other remodeling in your home, its value has probably risen. An appraisal would be required to prove to the lender that the value of your home has gone up, then they can determine whether or not your private mortgage insurance can be cancelled.No one likes to pay higher mortgage payments because they have had to finance their private mortgage insurance. Paying the insurance fees once a year can be costly too, but there is a savings on interest. There are a variety of mortgage lenders and they each have their own set of standards regarding PMI. Be sure to check with your mortgage company regarding the cost and payment plans they have available.
source: bripblap.com
