Let Sterling Appraisal Group help you decide if you can cancel your PMI

A 20% down payment is usually accepted when purchasing a home. The lender's only liability is often just the difference between the home value and the sum outstanding on the loan, so the 20% supplies a nice buffer against the expenses of foreclosure, selling the home again, and regular value changes on the chance that a borrower defaults.

The market was working with down payments dropping to 10, 5 and even 0 percent in the peak of last decade's mortgage boom. A lender is able to endure the increased risk of the low down payment with Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI. PMI covers the lender in case a borrower defaults on the loan and the value of the house is lower than what the borrower still owes on the loan.

PMI can be pricey to a borrower because the $40-$50 a month per $100,000 borrowed is bundled into the mortgage payment and oftentimes isn't even tax deductible. Instead of a piggyback loan where the lender consumes all the damages, PMI is lucrative for the lender because they obtain the money, and they receive payment if the borrower defaults.


Does your monthly mortgage payment include a fee PMI? Call Sterling Appraisal Group today at 2536610386 or send us an e-mail. A recent appraisal could save you thousands.

How can a home owner prevent paying PMI?

As a result of The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998, lenders are required to automatically cancel the PMI when the principal balance of the loan equals 78 percent of the primary loan amount on nearly all loans. The law promises that, at the request of the home owner, the PMI must be abandoned when the principal amount reaches just 80 percent. So, acute homeowners can get off the hook sooner than expected.

Since it can take a significant number of years to reach the point where the principal is only 80% of the original amount borrowed, it's essential to know how your Washington home has grown in value. After all, every bit of appreciation you've gained over time counts towards dismissing PMI. So what's the reason for paying it after your loan balance has fallen below the 80% mark? Even when nationwide trends predict lower overall home values, realize that real estate is local. Your neighborhood might not be adopting the national trends and/or your home might have gained equity before things simmered down.

The hardest thing for most homeowners to figure out is just when their home's equity goes over the 20% point. An accredited, Washington licensed real estate appraiser can certainly help. It is an appraiser's job to recognize the market dynamics of their area. At Sterling Appraisal Group, we're experts at recognizing value trends in Federal Way, King County, and surrounding areas, and we know when property values have risen or declined. When faced with figures from an appraiser, the mortgage company will generally do away with the PMI with little trouble. At which time, the homeowner can enjoy the savings from that point on.


The money you keep from dropping your PMI will make up for the cost of the appraisal in no time. Nobody is more qualified than Sterling Appraisal Group when it comes to appreciating values in Federal Way and King County. Contact us today.

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