Mortgages with down payments of less than 20% will require PMI until you build up a loan-to-value ratio of at least 80%. You can also avoid paying PMI by using two mortgages, or a piggyback second mortgage.
FYI, PMI drops off once you reach 20% equity. This can usually be around year 5 or 6 for a 30-year mortgage, depending on your actual down-payment.
Otherwise known as the 80/20 rule, the Pareto rule is a tool that can be used to improve project management efficiency. The rule states that 80% of the results of a project come from 20% of the work. Therefore, by focusing on the 20% of work that is most important, we can improve the efficiency of a project.
FHA Loan Mortgage Insurance Requirements
When you refinance with a Conventional loan, you need to pay for PMI if your home equity is less than 20%. FHA loans require you to pay for mortgage insurance when you buy or refinance a home, regardless of the amount of your down payment or home equity.
If you can afford it, putting 20% down on a house is ideal. It helps you avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI), reduces your loan amount, and lowers monthly payments.
“After sufficient equity has built up on your property, refinancing from an FHA or conventional loan to a new conventional loan would eliminate MIP or PMI payments. This is possible as long as your LTV ratio is at 80% or less.”
A borrower can request PMI be canceled when they've amassed 20 percent equity in the home and lived in it for several years. There are other ways to get rid of PMI ahead of schedule: refinancing, getting the home re-appraised (to see if it's increased in value), and paying down your principal faster.
PMI is generally required for conventional loans when the down payment is less than 20% or the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is over 80%.
The 50/50 rule is a method for calculating Earned Value on in-progress work. It assigns 50% of the budget value when a task starts and the remaining 50% when it's completed. This rule is often used for short-duration tasks where more precise progress measurement isn't practical.
Get an Appraisal
And no, your neighbor Phil's opinion won't count as an appraisal. Many lenders (like Fannie Mae) also require a two-year “seasoning requirement,” meaning you can't have PMI removed until you've made two years' worth of on-time payments—even if your equity has grown above 20%.
Using a new appraisal to remove PMI involves an appraisal of your home's current value to prove that the LTV ratio has decreased due to an increase in your home's original value. Refinancing is another option, allowing you to secure a lower rate or switch from an FHA loan to a conventional mortgage.
The Bottom Line: Removing PMI Can Help Ease Your Financial Burden. Mortgage insurance gives many home buyers the option to pay a smaller amount upfront for their downpayment. However, it increases the monthly payment until you're able to remove it.
PMI can add hundreds of dollars to your monthly payment – but you don't need it forever. You can often request PMI removal once you own 20% equity in your home. And lenders generally must drop PMI automatically when your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) hits 78%.
Is mortgage insurance tax-deductible? No, private mortgage insurance isn't tax-deductible now. The mortgage insurance deduction was only available for eligible homeowners for the 2018–2021 tax years.
Fixed premiums: You may be able to negotiate PMI with your lender. However, the FHA sets the UFMIP and annual MIP rates, and you can't negotiate them.
Still, if most branches have about three levels, your project's scope and detail level will be about right. Remember the 8/80 rule. This rule is one of the most common project management suggestions: a work package should take between eight and 80 hours.
The rule of seven states that if seven or more consecutive measurements fall on one side of the mean that there's an assignable cause that needs investigation.
Do lenders require PMI? Mortgage lenders require PMI for conventional mortgages with a down payment less than 20 percent. Some lenders advertise no-PMI loans, but these are essentially lender-paid insurance arrangements — you'll likely pay a higher interest rate in exchange.
PMI is automatically removed when your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio reaches 78%. You can request to have PMI removed from your loan when you reach 80% LTV in your home. You can achieve an 80% LTV ahead of schedule if your home's value increases or if you make extra loan payments.
KICKOFF™ is a free, interactive 45-minute project management course and digital toolkit from PMI. Use it to get up to speed on the basics of project management (PM).
Another way to get rid of PMI is to make home improvements, such as adding a bathroom or renovating a kitchen. From there, you wait one year, then get the home appraised—hopefully for a higher value that pushes your LTV to a level where you can offload PMI.
Your servicer is legally required to grant your request to cancel your PMI as long as you meet the criteria below: You make your request in writing. You have a good payment history and are current on your payments. You can certify that there are no junior liens (such as a second mortgage) on your home.