An Unexpected Expense
In a study released by TD Bank, 65% of buyers with mortgages that required mortgage insurance said the higher monthly payment was more than they originally expected. Private mortgage insurance is required on loans that exceed 80% of the home’s value. For conventional loans, the premiums range from 0.5% to 1% annually. The PMI could add close to $100.00 a month to the payments on a $200,000 mortgage and over $200.00 a month on a FHA mortgage. FHA has two components to its mortgage insurance which includes an up-front charge on closing of the loan and an annual charge. The up-front premium is 1.75% of the mortgage which can be paid in cash at closing or added to the mortgage amount. The annual premium ranges from 0.45% to 1.35% depending on the loan-to-value and term of the mortgage. Most lenders are required to automatically cancel coverage when a 78% loan-to-value is reached which on a 30 year loan with normal amortization could be eight to eleven years depending on orig