Have equity in your home? Want a lower payment? An appraisal from Zachary Kimmel can help you get rid of your PMI.

A 20% down payment is usually accepted when getting a mortgage. Considering the risk for the lender is oftentimes only the remainder between the home value and the sum remaining on the loan, the 20% adds a nice buffer against the costs of foreclosure, selling the home again, and regular value variations on the chance that a borrower is unable to pay.

The market was accepting down payments down to 10, 5 and often 0 percent during the mortgage boom of the mid 2000s. How does a lender manage the increased risk of the small down payment? The solution is Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI. This additional policy guards the lender in the event a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the worth of the house is lower than the balance of the loan.

Because the $40-$50 a month per $100,000 borrowed is lumped into the mortgage monthly payment and frequently isn't even tax deductible, PMI can be pricey to a borrower. Unlike a piggyback loan where the lender absorbs all the damages, PMI is money-making for the lender because they acquire the money, and they receive payment if the borrower defaults.

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

How can home owners avoid bearing the cost of PMI?

The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 requires the lenders on nearly all loans to automatically terminate the PMI when the principal balance of the loan reaches 78 percent of the beginning loan amount. The law states that, at the request of the homeowner, the PMI must be dropped when the principal amount reaches only 80 percent. So, smart homeowners can get off the hook sooner than expected.

Because it can take many years to get to the point where the principal is only 20% of the initial amount of the loan, it's important to know how your home has increased in value. After all, any appreciation you've achieved over the years counts towards abolishing PMI. So what's the reason for paying it after the balance of your loan has dropped below the 80% threshold? Despite the fact that nationwide trends hint at falling home values, understand that real estate is local. Your neighborhood may not be minding the national trends and/or your home could have acquired equity before things calmed down.

An accredited, licensed real estate appraiser can help home owners understand just when their home's equity goes over the 20% point, as it's a tough thing to know. It's an appraiser's job to keep up with the market dynamics of their area. At ZK Appraisals, Inc., we know when property values have risen or declined. We're experts at determining value trends in the surrounding areas. When faced with information from an appraiser, the mortgage company will generally eliminate the PMI with little effort. At that time, the homeowner 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