Home Buying: You Don Have to Pay Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI
Private Mortgage Insurance, or PMI, is a type of insurance that insures the lender in case the buyer defaults on the loan. The lender, or bank, requires PMI when the buyer has a down payment less than 20% of the asking price of the home. Private mortgage insurance has good and bad points, and there are ways to avoid paying it without putting down the required 20%. Private Mortgage Insurance has it’s Good Points The good point about PMI is that it lets one buy more of a house without having to save up the required 20%. Many Americans can now reach the American dream with popular 3-5% down programs. These programs are possible because of private mortgage insurance. When you purchase a home you are required to purchase traditional homeowners insurance. On top of that you are required to pay the premiums for PMI, usually in your escrow account, if you do not put at least 20% down. Private mortgage insurance does not give you additional homeowners insurance coverage, but it does give the ba
