by: George Burks
If you borrowed more than 80% of the appraised value of you home, you're probably paying private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI that is not lender paid is a waste of money. If you default on your mortgage, the private mortgage insurance provider will pay the lender, but you still would lose your home. PMI do not offer you any benefits whatsoever. PMI payments aren't even tax-deductible.
PMI increases your effective mortgage interest rate. On a $100,000 loan with 10 percent down ($10,000), PMI would cost you $43 a month. If you can cancel the PMI, you can save $516 a year and many thousands of dollars over the course of the loan. If your down payment was less, the cost of your PMI will be greater. If your down payment was 5%, ($5,000), your PMI expense would cost you $780 a year or $65 a month. Check your annual escrow account statement or call your lender to find out exactly how much PMI is costing you each year.
When you purchase a home and put down less than 20 percent down, most lenders will require you to purchase PMI. You are purchasing insurance to protect the lender if you default on the loan. The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 establishes rules for automatic termination and borrower cancellation of PMI on home mortgages. These protections apply to certain home mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999 for the purchase, initial construction, or refinance of a single-family home. These protections do not apply to government-insured FHA or VA loans or to loans with lender-paid PMI.
New borrowers covered by the law must be told, at closing and once a year, about PMI termination and cancellation. Mortgage providers must provide a telephone number for all their mortgage borrowers to call for information about termination and cancellation of PMI.
Even though the law's termination and cancellation rights do not cover loans that were signed before July 29, 1999, or loans with lender-paid PMI signed on any date, lenders or mortgage providers must tell all borrowers about the termination or cancellation rights they may otherwise have under those loans (such as rights established by the contract or state law).
The following applies for home mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999. Your PMI must - with certain exceptions - be terminated automatically when you reach 22 percent equity in your home based on the original property value, if your mortgage payments are current. Your PMI also can be canceled, when you request - with certain exceptions - when you reach 20 percent equity in your home based on the original property value, if your mortgage payments are current.
One exception is if your loan is high-risk. A cash-out refinancing would be considered high-risk. Another is if you have not been current on your payments within the year prior to the time for termination or cancellation. A third is if you have other liens on your property. For these loans, your PMI may continue. Ask your lender or mortgage provider (the company that collects your payments) for more information about these requirements.
The following applies for home mortgage signed before July 29, 1999.
You can ask to have the PMI canceled once you exceed 20 percent equity in your home. But federal law does not require your lender or mortgage service provider to cancel the insurance.
Some states may have laws that apply to early termination or cancellation of PMI - even if you signed your mortgage before July 29, 1999. Call your state consumer protection agency for more information about your state's rules. Contact your lender or mortgage provider to learn whether you're paying PMI. If you are, ask how and when it can be terminated or canceled. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which buy home mortgages from lenders, also may have guidelines affecting termination or cancellation of PMI on home mortgages signed before July 29, 1999. Check with your lender or call Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, for more information.
Copyright © 2005 My Big Fat Mortgage All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
George Burks of http://www.mybiweeklymortgagepayment.com has offered a biweekly mortgage payment plan with no enrollment fees since 1999. His interest in financial topics is varied and includes identity protection. Please visit our financial library.
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Foreign Currency Mortgages ? The Pros And Cons
Foreign Currency Mortgages ? The Pros And Cons
by: Michael Challiner
Virtually all mortgage borrowers go with a mainstream UK lender to make the biggest purchase of their lives, it?s the done thing and to be honest most people don?t realise there is a viable alternative ? the foreign currency mortgage.
Interest rates are reasonably healthy in the UK at the moment, particularly in comparison with the 1980s, however interest rates are a lot higher here than they are in the Eurozone, Switzerland, America and Japan.
Did you know that you can borrow the capital you need for your house purchase in Euros, US dollars, Swiss Francs or Yen instead of Sterling? This means that you could take advantage of the lower interest rates elsewhere, securing the loan on your house.
These 3 month money market interest rates allow you to compare UK interest rates with other countries:
Japanese Yen 0.12%
Switzerland 1.03%
Eurozone 2.46%
US...
Mortgages > Foreign Currency Mortgages ? The Pros And Cons
A Look at Common Types of Loans
A Look at Common Types of Loans
by: John Mussi
People sometimes wonder about common types of loans, especially with all of the different types of loans available.
There are many common types of loans that may fall into the same categories, as well as some common types of loans that are only different in one or two small ways.
Below are the descriptions for several common types of loans, including some of the factors that may restrict who is eligible for the loan and how much interest different individuals might have to pay for the loan.
Of course, this doesn't cover all of the loans that are offered? only the loans that you are most likely to encounter.
Secured and Unsecured Loans
Most if not all common types of loans fall into one of two categories? secured loans and unsecured loans.
Secured loans are those loans that use some object of value, which is referred to as collateral, as a guarantee of repayment...
A Look at Common Types of Loans
Mortgages > A Look at Common Types of Loans
Debt Consolidation Primer ? Four Things You Can Do to Get Out of Debt
Debt Consolidation Primer ? Four Things You Can Do to Get Out of Debt
by: Charlie Essmeier
Problem debt is rampant throughout America. In addition to mortgages and auto loans, the average household in the U.S. has nearly $10,000 in credit card debt. As the major credit card companies have recently doubled their minimum payment requirements, now is a good time to outline the various options available to most consumers who have more debt than they can handle.
# Stop spending money on nonessential items. ?Nonessential? is difficult to define, but it more or less means anything that isn?t absolutely necessary to live. Phone bills, mortgages, and groceries are essential. Lattes at Starbucks, satellite television, and meals from fast food restaurants are not. By cutting out all extra spending, you can probably save several hundred dollars per month. That money can be used to reduce debt.
# Consolidate your debt. If you have more than one credit...
Debt Consolidation Primer ? Four Things You Can Do to Get Out of Debt
Mortgages > Debt Consolidation Primer ? Four Things You Can Do to Get Out of Debt
Home Loans and Mortgages ? Tips to Avoid Foreclosure
Home Loans and Mortgages ? Tips to Avoid Foreclosure
by: Charlie Essmeier
Today?s real estate market is a volatile one; prices are at record levels and Interest rates are favorable, but foreclosures are increasing. Wages haven?t kept up with home prices and some buyers who had to stretch to find a way to obtain a mortgage in the first place are having trouble making their payments. Usually, if a buyer cannot meet his or her mortgage obligation, the lender forecloses, taking the home and leaving the buyer without a place to live and a tarnished credit record. If you are having problems paying your mortgage, can you avoid this scenario?
Depending on your type of mortgage and your lender, you may have other options. Most lenders, wary of rising foreclosure rates, would rather work out some sort of solution than take your home. Lenders are in the business of lending money, not selling houses, and the process of foreclosure is a tedious one that most...
Home Loans and Mortgages ? Tips to Avoid Foreclosure
Mortgages > Home Loans and Mortgages ? Tips to Avoid Foreclosure
Mortgages Private Mortgage Insurance Doesn't Protect Homeowners seeds