Premier Nationwide Lending » PMI

Eliminating Private Mortgage Insurance

Rob Spring — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:28:23 +0000

How to Eliminate your PMI:

For loans made after July 1999, lenders are required by federal law to automatically cancel Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) when the loan balance falls below 78 percent of your purchase price — not when you achieve 22 percent equity, which will happen much more quickly with rising property values. (Certain “higher risk” loans are excluded.) But you have the right to cancel PMI (for loans made after July 1999) once your equity reaches 20 percent, regardless of the original purchase price.

Keep track of your principal payments. Also keep track of what other homes are selling for in your neighborhood. If your loan is under five years old, chances are you haven’t paid down much principal — it’s been mostly interest. But property values in many parts of the country have gone through the roof lately. And that can earn you 20 percent equity even if you haven’t paid down much principal.

When you think you’ve reached 20 percent equity in your home, you can begin the process of freeing yourself from PMI payments! You will need to notify your mortgage lender that you want to cancel PMI payments and you’ll need to submit proof that you have at least 20 percent equity. A state certified appraisal on the appropriate form (URAR- 1004 uniform residential appraisal report for single family homes) is the best proof there is — and most lenders require one before they’ll cancel PMI.

What are Homeowner’s Insurance, Private Mortgage Insurance, and Title Insurance?

Rob Spring — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:15:52 +0000

What are homeowner’s insurance, private mortgage insurance, and title insurance?

A homeowner’s insurance policy is a package policy that combines more than one type of insurance coverage in a single policy. There are four types of coverages that are contained in the homeowners policy: dwelling and personal property, personal liability, medical payments, and additional living expenses. Homeowner’s insurance, as the name suggests, protects you from damage or loss to your home or the property in it.

Remember that flood insurance and earthquake damage are not covered by a standard homeowners policy. If you buy a house in a flood-prone area, you’ll have to pay for a flood insurance policy that costs an average of $400 a year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides useful information on flood insurance on its Web site at www.fema.gov. A separate earthquake policy is available from most insurance companies. The cost of the coverage will depend on the likelihood of earthquakes in your area.

Private mortgage insurance and government mortgage insurance protect the lender against default and enable the lender to make a loan which the lender considers a higher risk. Lenders often require mortgage insurance for loans where the down payment is less than 20 percent of the sales price. You may be billed monthly, annually, by an initial lump sum, or some combination of these practices for your mortgage insurance premium. Mortgage insurance should not be confused with mortgage life, credit life or disability insurance, which protect you and are designed to pay off a mortgage in the event of your death or disability.

You may also encounter “lender paid” mortgage insurance (“LPMI”). Under LPMI plans, the lender purchases the mortgage insurance and pays the premiums to the insurer. The lender will increase your interest rate to pay for the premiums — but LPMI may reduce your settlement costs. You cannot cancel LPMI or government mortgage insurance during the life of your loan. However, it may be possible to cancel private mortgage insurance at some point, such as when your loan balance is reduced to a certain amount. Before you commit to paying for mortgage insurance, ask us about the specific requirements for cancellation in your case.

Title insurance is usually required by the lender to protect the lender against loss resulting from claims by others against your new home. In some states, attorneys offer title insurance as part of their services in examining title and providing a title opinion. The attorney’s fee may include the title insurance premium. In other states, a title insurance company or title agent directly provides the title insurance.

A lender’s title insurance policy does not protect you. Neither does the prior owners policy. If you want to protect yourself from claims by others against your new home, you will need an owner’s title policy. When a claim does occur, it can be financially devastating to an owner who is uninsured. If you buy an owner’s policy, it is usually much less expensive if you buy it at the same time and with the same insurer as the lender’s policy.

To save money on title insurance, compare rates among various title insurance companies. Ask what services and limitations on coverage are provided under each policy so that you can decide whether coverage purchased at a higher rate may be better for your needs. However, in many states, title insurance premium rates are established by the state and may not be negotiable. If you are buying a home which has changed hands within the last several years, ask your title company about a “reissue rate,” which would be cheaper. If you are buying a newly constructed home, make certain your title insurance covers claims by contractors. These claims are known as “mechanics liens” in some parts of the country. The American Land Title Association has consumer title insurance information available at its website, www.alta.org.

What is PMI?

Rob Spring — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:47:34 +0000

Private Mortgage Insurance Helps You Get the Loan

Private Mortgage Insurance, also known as PMI, is a supplemental insurance policy you may be required to obtain in order to get a mortgage loan. PMI is provided by private (non-government) companies and is usually required when your loan-to-value ratio — the amount of your mortgage loan divided by the value of your home — is greater than 80 percent.
PMI isn’t a bad thing — it allows you to make a lower down payment and still qualify for a mortgage loan. In fact without PMI, many of us would not be able to purchase our first home.

How is PMI calculated?

Your PMI premium is fixed based on plan type (loan-to-value ratio, loan type, loan term, etc.) and is not related to your particular credit history or other individual characteristics. PMI typically amounts to about one-half of one percent of your mortgage amount annually, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the premium payment is usually rolled into your monthly mortgage payment. On a $200,000 mortgage, you may be paying $1,000 per year for PMI.

Estimating Your Insurance Related Closing Costs

Rob Spring — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:21:34 +0000

Insurance Closing Costs

Homeowner’s Insurance
This insurance covers replacement costs for damages caused by fire, wind or other disaster that might affect the value of the property. Typically, the insurance also includes personal liability and theft coverage.

Flood or Quake Insurance
Additional hazard insurance coverage that is required for homes located in a designated hazard zone as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). An appraiser, inspector, or your realtor can let you know if a property resides in a hazard zone.

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
Insurance required for conventional mortgage loans when the borrower’s down payment on the house is less than 20 percent of the loan value.

Title Insurance
This policy protects both the buyer and lender by insuring a clear chain of title. (In other words, it insures that that the person who sells the house has the legal right to do so.)