---
title: "Removing PMI: Original Value vs New Appraisal | Ondo Real Estate | Ondo RE"
canonical: https://www.ondorealestate.com/blog/pmi-removal-original-value-vs-new-appraisal/
---

# Removing PMI: Original Value vs New Appraisal

Two off-ramps. Original value is a statute clock. Current value is an investor maybe.

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Conventional borrower-paid PMI can come off in two different ways. The Homeowners Protection Act path uses _original_ value and scheduled amortization (commonly a request at 80% and automatic termination at 78% if the loan is current). Asking the servicer to cancel based on a _new appraisal of current value_ is a separate overlay: seasoning, a tighter LTV test, and a paid appraisal. Snapshot as of 2026-08.

This page is how PMI already on a conventional loan can come off. It is not whether a first-time buyer should wait until they can put 20% down.

FHA annual MIP does not cancel the same way. Post-2013 MIP duration is timed from original LTV. A higher current value does not usually turn off annual MIP; refinancing out of FHA is the usual early exit conversation.

How conventional PMI cancellation is usually framed as of 2026-08. Confirm your note and servicer.QuestionOriginal value (HPA path)New appraisal (current value)

What value is usedOriginal purchase value (or the original appraised value used at origination). Scheduled principal paydown, not Zillow.A new appraisal of current market value, ordered under the servicer/investor rules. Not automatic.

Typical triggerFor many borrower-paid conventional loans, you can request PMI cancellation at 80% of the original property value and the servicer typically must terminate automatically at 78% of original value if the loan is current. Those tests use original value and scheduled amortization — not today’s Zillow number.A cancellation based on a new appraisal of current value is an investor/servicer path, not the HPA original-value clock. It usually needs seasoning, a current LTV test that can be tighter than 80% of original value, and a paid appraisal. It can be declined. It is not available on every product (lender-paid PMI is a common exception).

Who starts itYou can request cancellation at the 80% original-value mark. Automatic termination at 78% is a servicer duty on many borrower-paid loans if you are current.You (or your servicer, if they allow it) request a current-value review. You usually pay for the appraisal. The investor can say no.

Not this pathThis page is how PMI already on a conventional loan can come off. It is not whether a first-time buyer should wait until they can put 20% down.FHA annual MIP does not cancel the same way. Post-2013 MIP duration is timed from original LTV. A higher current value does not usually turn off annual MIP; refinancing out of FHA is the usual early exit conversation.

Lender-paid PMI, split-premium PMI, and some investor products do not follow borrower-paid HPA cancellation. USDA and VA use different fees, not monthly PMI.

## Call the servicer with the right question

Ask whether they are measuring original value (HPA) or whether they even offer a current-value appraisal cancellation — and what seasoning they require. A “you have 22% equity on a website estimate” screenshot is not either test. Program overview: [conventional loans](/loans/conventional/).

## If the loan is FHA

Stop. Annual MIP is timed from original LTV. Read [how MIP vs PMI actually leaves the loan](/blog/mip-vs-pmi-how-mortgage-insurance-ends/). A conventional refinance can be the early-exit conversation; run [break-even after costs](/blog/refinance-break-even-when-lower-rate-loses/) before you treat MIP savings as free.

## Still deciding whether to put 20% down on a purchase?

That is [should I wait for 20% down](/blog/should-i-wait-for-20-percent-down/) — a first-time cash-and-timeline question, not a servicer cancellation form.

## What happens next

- Read the PMI disclosure and the note. Lender-paid PMI often cannot be cancelled the HPA way.
- Ask the servicer in writing: original-value percent remaining, and whether current-value cancellation exists on this product.
- Keep the loan current. HPA automatic termination typically requires that. Late payments are a different problem than a low appraisal.

## Common questions

### Is automatic PMI termination based on original value or current value?

### Can I order a new appraisal to cancel PMI because the house is worth more now?

## Keep going

[Conventional loans in Utah Conforming conventional purchase and refinance, PMI, and typical documentation.](/loans/conventional/)[Should I Wait for 20% Down? Waiting for 20% can avoid conventional PMI. Buying sooner with PMI is a cash-and-timeline trade. Distinct from how MIP vs PMI later ends, and from PMI removal mechanics.](/blog/should-i-wait-for-20-percent-down/)[How MIP vs PMI Actually Leaves the Loan FHA annual MIP is timed from original LTV. Conventional PMI can often come off with equity. How each ends — not whether to wait for 20% down.](/blog/mip-vs-pmi-how-mortgage-insurance-ends/)[Mortgage payment calculator Principal, interest, and optional taxes, insurance, and PMI. Not a quote.](/calculators/mortgage-payment/)[Start a mortgage conversation What you will be asked, and what a conversation will not promise. This is not an instant approval, a lock, or a commitment to lend.](/qualify/)

## What to do next

Education first. A conversation with a loan officer is how you find out what may actually fit your file.

[Conventional loans](/loans/conventional/)[Mortgage payment calculator](/calculators/mortgage-payment/)[Start a mortgage conversation](/qualify/)

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