{"id":17946,"date":"2020-07-30T13:40:50","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T20:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=17946"},"modified":"2026-04-09T09:25:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:25:22","slug":"buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/","title":{"rendered":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying a home can feel overwhelming, especially if you\u2019re new to the process. Not only is there a lot of new jargon to learn, but the dollar amounts you\u2019ll be throwing around are enough to make anyone feel lightheaded. And when you throw private mortgage insurance<\/a> (PMI) into the mix, and all the warnings about it, then a lot of buyers are preoccupied with one question: Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, and how can you get out of it?<\/p>\n

Let’s back up and think about down payments<\/a>. Lenders like to see you put 20% down, which might not seem like much \u2014 until you\u2019re talking about an asking price of hundreds of thousands of dollars. After all, the median home price in the U.S.<\/a> was $285,700 in June 2019. Paying 20% of that means you\u2019d need $57,140 just to close on your new home loan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Step one: Talk to a few buyer's agents!<\/h3>\n

Tell us a little bit about your plans (where you’re looking to buy and when you want to make a purchase) and we’ll connect you with top-rated buyer’s agents in your area. It takes only a few minutes, and it’s free.<\/p>\n \n

\n Get Started<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

But what if you don\u2019t have that kind of money to put down? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re not out of luck. You can still get a mortgage. But if you don\u2019t have the full 20% down payment, your lender will probably want a little extra insurance that you\u2019ll pay your loan as agreed. If so, for a conventional loan, they\u2019ll require you to add the cost of PMI to your monthly home loan (it\u2019s called just MI, or mortgage insurance, if you have a government-backed loan such as an FHA loan).<\/p>\n

It might seem daunting \u2014 after all, if you don\u2019t have the money to put 20% down, why do you have to cough up extra? But here\u2019s a secret: Not all first-time buyers have to pay PMI or MI. We\u2019ve combed through the most recent data on home affordability to show you 11 great ways to buy your new home without<\/i> paying your lender\u2019s insurance premiums.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/sommart sombutwanitkul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s PMI or MI, and why would I need to pay it?<\/h3>\n

As you\u2019re figuring out how much you can afford<\/a> and what kind of loan<\/a> will be best for your situation, you\u2019ll need to know when mortgage insurance applies. PMI<\/a> is private<\/i> mortgage insurance on a conventional home loan. Lenders require it to protect their investment in situations when buyers have less than a 20% stake<\/a> in the home.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re taking out a government loan \u2014 an FHA loan, for example \u2014 the same concept applies, but the lender\u2019s insurance is just called mortgage insurance<\/a> (and it\u2019s not private).<\/p>\n

In either situation, the mortgage insurance is an extra cost in addition to your monthly mortgage payment, and it usually costs between 0.5% and 1%<\/a> of the value of your home each year. For our example home that costs $285,700, MI payments of 1% could be $2,857 a year, or $238 each month \u2014 on top of the cost of your mortgage and taxes.<\/p>\n

Your agent can help you find a good lender<\/h4>\n

Because the mortgage insurance requirement will vary depending on the price of the house you choose, the lender, and even your particular loan, it pays to get some help as you\u2019re figuring it all out. As real estate agent Josh Vernon<\/a> explains, a good agent can help direct you to reputable lenders, which is crucial when you\u2019re buying your first home. Vernon is a top-selling agent in Trussville, Alabama<\/a>, and he makes a point of connecting his clients with vetted lenders who can help them.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of times, for the first-time homebuyer, they don’t even really know what their finances look like,\u201d he says. So he makes sure to always follow up with a phone call to make sure his clients are comfortable with the lender they\u2019ve selected. If you\u2019ve chosen a good agent, you can be confident that they\u2019ll work with you and the lender to make certain you find the best loan for your situation.<\/p>\n

As you explore your lending options, you could opt to pay a smaller down payment and just deal with paying MI as the price of doing business.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019d like to avoid that extra monthly cost, here are some proven strategies to make it possible.<\/p>\n

Put down 20% (or more)<\/h3>\n

This may be the simplest way to avoid paying mortgage insurance, though of course it\u2019s not necessarily the easiest. But if you have a significant stake in the home of 20% or more, the bank no longer requires insurance on your loan.<\/p>\n

Coming up with a down payment of 20% for a home might be easier to do in areas of the country with a lower cost of living, although salaries can be lower there, too. A strict savings plan<\/a> and a little bit of discipline will help get you there faster. Plus, knowing how much you can afford will help. HomeLight\u2019s affordability calculator<\/a> shows you what you could be shopping for.<\/p>\n

Family members can also help you reach the 20% threshold<\/a> by giving gifts, although your lender will require some documentation<\/a> about this. If you go with an FHA loan<\/a> (which has lower down payment requirements to begin with), the money must be a “bona fide\u201d gift<\/a>, with no expectation of repayment, and it should come from someone who might really be expected to give a gift like that: actual friends, family members, even charitable organizations.<\/p>\n

There will be rules governing how you use a gift for a down payment, so be sure to work with your lender<\/a> so that you proceed properly with the loan.<\/p>\n

\"people<\/a>
Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/KieferPix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Get help via a down payment assistance program<\/h3>\n

Saving up enough money for a down payment is definitely one of the toughest obstacles<\/a> for first-time homebuyers. That\u2019s why there are a number of programs designed by state housing agencies to help you clear that hurdle so you can begin your journey of homeownership<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These are typically called down payment assistance (DPA) programs, and a study from the Urban Institute<\/a> shows there are 2,144 active programs across the country \u2014 264 in California alone. The Urban Institute estimates that between 30% and 52% of buyers qualify for programs like these, and when doing so, they\u2019re eligible for amounts up to $30,000. DPA programs are available for conventional as well as government loans; you\u2019ll find the most assistance available with FHA, VA, and USDA loans. Ignoring these programs means you could be leaving a lot of money on the table.<\/p>\n

Just take Nevada as an example. The state\u2019s Home is Possible program<\/a> will match up to 5% of the purchase price in the form of a grant, which you don\u2019t have to pay back. Even more impressive: Consider Arizona<\/a>, where the DPA is 10% of the purchase price (up to $20,000) \u2014 meaning if you came up with the other 10% for a down payment, you wouldn\u2019t have to pay PMI. Buy a house in Tucson, where the median price is $177,900<\/a>, and you could get a discount of $17,790. Provided you come up with the other $17,790 yourself, you\u2019ll pay no MI, and you\u2019ve just shaved a good portion off what you owe on your new home, too.<\/p>\n

Not bad for free money!<\/p>\n

Consider a \u2018piggyback\u2019 loan<\/h3>\n

Another way to skirt the PMI requirement is to try for an 80-10-10 loan, also called a \u201cpiggyback loan<\/a>.\u201d This method would have you take out two<\/i> loans concurrently \u2014 one for 80% of the home\u2019s purchase price, and a second mortgage for 10% of the purchase price. The final 10% you put down yourself.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll still be financing 90% of the purchase price this way, but since the main mortgage is for only 80% of the home\u2019s value, you won\u2019t have to pay mortgage insurance.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: Shutterstock.com\/Bumble Dee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Take advantage of your veteran status<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve served your country \u2014 now the government wants to offer you assistance in return. If you\u2019re a qualified veteran (meaning you meet requirements for service history and duty status) then you\u2019re eligible to take advantage of a VA Home Loan<\/a>, which has favorable terms<\/a>: 0% down and no mortgage insurance. These loans are backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and provided by a private loan company.<\/p>\n

See if you\u2019re eligible for a USDA loan<\/h3>\n

These loans<\/a> are offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They\u2019re intended for rural buyers, but the definition of rural can be quite broad. The main requirement is that you meet the USDA\u2019s income guidelines; then, you can check<\/a> whether your intended home fits the USDA geographic designation.<\/p>\n

As the USDA loan is a government loan, your income must not exceed 115% of the median household income<\/a> and you must be a U.S. citizen (or qualified resident foreign national). If you qualify, expect to enjoy a loan with 0% down<\/a> and no mortgage insurance; you can even finance repair costs if you\u2019ve found yourself a fixer-upper.<\/p>\n

Ask your lender if they offer a slightly higher interest rate in exchange for lender-paid MI<\/h3>\n

Another way to avoid PMI: Try the timeless tactic of negotiation. See if your lender will accept different terms in the form of a higher interest rate, which will convert your insurance requirement from borrower-paid MI to LPMI, or \u201clender-paid mortgage insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, LPMI will likely increase your rate, but this tactic isn\u2019t as offbeat as it sounds.<\/p>\n

In fact, Vernon says some lenders in his market offer a flat-rate loan, which includes an eighth or a quarter of a percentage point rate bump in exchange for LPMI. You\u2019ll need to do the math on your particular loan; it\u2019s possible to actually see a savings in monthly costs because the tiny interest-rate bump is smaller than your MI payment would have been.<\/p>\n

To see some examples of how MI (lender- or borrower-paid), down payment, and loan-to-value rates interact, check out the tables<\/a> produced by the Urban Institute (under the Monthly Payment Comparison section).<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/Jacob Lund<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re a teacher, check out this program<\/h3>\n

Are you a school teacher, firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical technician (EMT)? You could get a discount of 50% off your house through the HUD Good Neighbor Next Door program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it works: You\u2019ll take out two loans, each for half of the purchase price. The first loan is a traditional one, with interest and regular payments, and the second one is a \u201csilent\u201d second mortgage.<\/p>\n

As long as you comply with the regulations<\/a>, buy a home in one of the program\u2019s designation revitalization areas, and fulfil your promise to live in the home for three years, you don\u2019t owe any payments or interest on that silent loan. No MI, either, since the first loan was for 50% of the price of the home. And after the three years are over, that second loan gets completely dismissed.<\/p>\n

You could qualify for Bank of America\u2019s low-down-payment program<\/h3>\n

The government isn\u2019t the only entity offering loans with tiny down payments. Check out Bank of America\u2019s Community Homeownership Commitment<\/a>, which offers affordable housing programs for first-time homebuyers.<\/p>\n

Requirements vary by location, but generally, you can expect to be asked to complete homebuyer education through an approved counseling agency. Then you\u2019ll be eligible for an Affordable Loan Solution mortgage<\/a>, with as little as 3% down on loan amounts up to $510,400 ($765,600 in high-cost areas) and no mortgage insurance.<\/p>\n

Scoop up special loans for doctors, lawyers, and other professionals<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve chosen a profession that requires a lot of advanced training or specialized degrees, you know what burden home loans can be when you have student loans, too. Flagstar Bank<\/a> offers unique home loan programs<\/a> especially for recent grads and medical residents. These loans offer mortgages up to $1.5 million with a low or no down payment and no mortgage insurance required.<\/p>\n

Get help with high-cost housing<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed or trapped living in an expensive housing market<\/a>, there are loans designed specifically to help you. The HomeRun Mortgage<\/a> from Citi can grant you a down payment as low as 3% and no MI if you meet their qualifications \u2014 even if your loan is jumbo-sized. The program covers loans up to $510,000 (up to $765,600 in certain high-cost areas).<\/p>\n

Let this start-up help you finance your home<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve never heard of Sofi<\/a>, it\u2019s a lending start-up that\u2019s aiming to help you make your dream home a reality. Sofi mortgages are available for as little as 10% down<\/a>, with no PMI on jumbo loans, regardless of your loan-to-value ratio. There are no hidden fees, either, so you\u2019ll know exactly what you\u2019re paying when it comes time to close.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/Pra Chid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bonus solution: Pay MI \u2013 but drop it when you\u2019re eligible<\/h3>\n

One last way to handle the MI problem: roll up your sleeves and pay, but only for a short while. Once you reach 20% equity in your home \u2014 a good reason to monitor your home\u2019s value<\/a> regularly \u2014 you can request PMI be removed. In fact, there\u2019s a federal law<\/a> that protects your right to do so (it\u2019s called the Homeowners Protection Act<\/a>).<\/p>\n

What you\u2019ll need to do is make a request to your lender in writing and ask for MI to be removed. Make sure your loan is in good standing and that there are no other liens on your property first. Even if you neglected to ask your lender to drop it, MI will still be taken off automatically when you reach 78% loan-to-value (LTV) on your home for most loan products.<\/p>\n

Some government programs, which allow for very low down payments, may require MI for the lifetime of the loan, but you can often remove this additional payment by refinancing that loan when you reach an LTV of 80% or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

Save thousands when buying a home<\/h3>\n

HomeLight-recommended real estate agents are top-tier negotiators who understand the market data that helps you save as much as possible when buying your dream home.<\/p>\n \n

\n Find a top buyer's agent<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The bottom line<\/h3>\n

So now you have the lowdown on mortgage insurance and ways around it. Is it worth it to pay? That\u2019s up to you. Just make sure you haven\u2019t left any money on the table in the form of grants, aid, or other homeowner assistance before you cough up extra payments.<\/p>\n

This is where a good real estate agent can come in handy \u2014 the best-connected agents will know the sorts of lenders that will get you a fair mortgage<\/a> and any assistance you\u2019re qualified for.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs your real estate agent, we’re going to protect you and make sure that this process is stress-free and streamlined,\u201d says Vernon\u2019s business partner, Jamey Reynolds<\/a>. \u201cWe never promise perfection, but we promise we’re gonna work through this process so that we help you hit your goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

The end result? Your dream home \u2014 and maybe even your dream loan.<\/p>\n

Header Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/Gts<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Here are 11 ways to avoid the added expense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":17955,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,621,620],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-home-buyer","category-buy-house"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDo First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, though?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, though?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-07-30T20:40:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T16:25:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mary Beth Eastman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@supa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mary Beth Eastman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?","description":"Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, though?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?","og_description":"Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, though?","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2020-07-30T20:40:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-09T16:25:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mary Beth Eastman","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@supa","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mary Beth Eastman","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/"},"author":{"name":"Mary Beth Eastman","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a5b5b45b4db4f63cab122e5576917cd"},"headline":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?","datePublished":"2020-07-30T20:40:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-09T16:25:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/"},"wordCount":2504,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg","articleSection":["Buyers","First-Time Homebuyer","Get Started"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/","name":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg","datePublished":"2020-07-30T20:40:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-09T16:25:22+00:00","description":"Finding extra money to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) can be a struggle for first-time homebuyers. Do first time homebuyers have to pay PMI, though?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi.jpg","width":1500,"height":800,"caption":"Image Source: Shutterstock.com\/Gts"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-do-first-time-homebuyers-have-to-pay-pmi\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Do First Time Homebuyers Always Have to Pay PMI or MI?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America's Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a5b5b45b4db4f63cab122e5576917cd","name":"Mary Beth Eastman","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c61c8333e76594f5f62c78c081fb6460a2ca5bdbfdb879971fae4cf13911e3?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c61c8333e76594f5f62c78c081fb6460a2ca5bdbfdb879971fae4cf13911e3?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Mary Beth Eastman"},"description":"Mary Beth Eastman is an award-winning journalist and writer. She adores old houses\u2014hers is a 1920 foursquare with decent bones\u2014and is passionate about helping people make smart investments in real estate.","sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/supa"],"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/marybeth-eastman\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}