When you're shopping around for a mortgage, youâll come across the acronym PMI. Mortgage insurance or private mortgage insuranceâPMI for short, is put in place to protect the mortgage company if you should default on their loan.
Hereâs the scoop:
A common rule if thumb for buying a home is to have 20% or more for a down payment. The more you can put down, the less your monthly mortgage payment. So what happens if you donât have 20% or more set aside? Youâll most likely be forced to add PMI to your monthly payments until the total equity of the home reaches 20%. Private mortgage insurance is typically between 0.5% to 1% of the entire loan amount on an annual basis. In most cases, PMI can help you qualify for a loan that you might not otherwise be able to get. While it will increase the cost of your loan, it doesnât protect you if you run into financial problems on your mortgage â it only protects the lender. As is the case with all financial deals - be sure to speak to your lender about the specific details.
The bottom line?
If you can come up with the 20% down payment, that is your best option. However, if you donât have 20%, paying PMI is one way to own the home of your dreams.
There are many nuances involved with the purchasing and financing of a home. Our experienced agents will guide you along the way. Weâre here to make the purchase (or sale) of your home an enjoyable, seamless process. We look forward to hearing from you!
Lisa Halter
Principal Broker/Owner
Halter Associates Realty
lisa@halterassociatesrealty.com
Leave A Comment