{"id":4109,"date":"2017-08-10T11:30:33","date_gmt":"2017-08-10T15:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downpaymentresource.com\/?p=4109"},"modified":"2022-12-12T13:29:15","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T18:29:15","slug":"mortgage-insurance-really-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downpaymentresource.com\/homebuyer-resource\/mortgage-insurance-really-worth\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Mortgage Insurance Really Worth It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019re considering a low down payment mortgage\u2014less than 20%–you may have heard you\u2019ll need to pay mortgage insurance (also known as MI, private mortgage insurance or PMI, and mortgage insurance premium or MIP) in addition to your monthly mortgage payment. While it adds another monthly payment to your mortgage, it may also help you get in a home sooner. Let\u2019s look at your options and some hidden benefits of MI.<\/p>\n

What is mortgage insurance?<\/h2>\n

MI helps manage risk for your lender and protect them if you fail to repay the mortgage, making the loan safer for investors. Investors have set parameters that loans must meet before they are purchased. One key parameter is that the mortgage has a loan-to-value ratio of at least 80%, meaning that the borrowers have made a 20% down payment.<\/p>\n

MI was created to help more buyers get over that hurdle and afford to buy a home. With MI, you can put down less than 20% and still become a homeowner.<\/p>\n

But, is MI really worth it or should you wait<\/a> until you have 20% down?<\/p>\n

Benefits of mortgage insurance<\/h2>\n

Before you write off mortgage insurance, let\u2019s look at how it may provide valuable opportunities and options to you as a homebuyer.<\/p>\n