Principle and Interest
The first item on your house note will be the Principle and Interest (P&I) calculation based on the original amount of your loan. Using a good Mortgage Calculator, simply plug in the current interest rate and the number of years.
The Mortgage Calculator on my website not only provides you the monthly amount of principle and interest, it will also give you a printout of the accumulated principle and interest over the term of the loan.
Most mortgages are written for 30 yrs. However, if you plug in 15 years, you can see the difference in the amount of the payment. If you feel comfortable with a little bit higher monthly payment, you will be able to pay down the principle much sooner and save a considerable amount of interest.
PMI– What’s That?
If you are financing with less than a 20% down payment, the lender will add to the loan PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance, and it will be collected until at least 20% of the principle has been paid.
Have you heard of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac? These are companies that back mortgages so that if a borrower defaults, the bank (your lender) will have part of their loan insured. It helps lessen the lender’s risk since they have considerably more money invested in the home than the borrower.
Anyway, point is, the lender will add PMI to your monthly payment. The rate varies, but it is a fairly nominal amount – less than half of a percent.
Insurance – Homeowners and Flood
As long as you have a mortgage, your lender has a vested interest in knowing your home is fully insured in the event of a fire, flood, or hurricane. After all, he probably has more money invested in your new home than you do. Right?
Insurance premiums are always paid in advance. So at the Act of Sale, you will pre-pay the first year of insurance premiums. (Part of your closing costs.) Then the lender will collect two-three months of premiums to set up your Escrow Account.
Thereafter, for the life of your mortgage, the lender will continue to collect escrow in order to pay your premiums each year upon renewal. And for every year of your loan, you will receive a letter from your lender detailing your escrow account and how much, if any, the monthly escrow deposit needs to be adjusted.
Property Taxes
Just as the lender collects insurance premiums on your behalf, they will also collect property taxes. Although you may receive a re
-assessment letter from the Assessor’s Office over the course of your loan, you will never pay your property taxes direct. They will be paid by your lender from your escrow account. This assures the lender that the property will not go into a Sheriff’s sale for failure to pay property taxes.
How to Estimate Your Monthly House Note –
First calculate the principle and interest at today’s prevailing rate. If you are buying with less than 20% down, use an interest rate about a quarter point higher than the current rate to allow for PMI.
Then add an estimated amount for homeowners and flood insurance
. Your lender can usually give you a ballpark figure. Or you can call the agent who handles your auto insurance and ask him for an estimate. Just understand that the actual premium will depend on exactly where the home is located and how much it is worth.
And of course, the last thing is property tax. In each parish, the Assessor has a website where you can check the existing taxes on a property. However, keep in mind, the current tax can change based on a new assessment, homestead exemption, and even the age of the homeowner. (The assessed value can be ‘locked in’ for senior citizens.)
For further information about buying or selling a home, drop me a note and I’ll get back in touch with you right away. . .
Joyce's Real Estate Blogs 
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