Good point about seasoning requirements—those can definitely trip people up. I've seen clients surprised by that fine print more than once. Usually, lenders want to see at least 12 months of timely payments before they'll even consider dropping PMI, even if your equity looks solid. Glad repainting worked out for you though... who knew teal walls could cost you money on an appraisal? Anyway, sounds like you're on the right track now.
Good insights overall, but I'd add a couple things from experience:
- PMI removal isn't always strictly about seasoning. I've had clients successfully request early removal by proactively ordering their own appraisal (not cheap, but sometimes worth it).
- Also, the teal walls thing... honestly, appraisers usually look past paint colors unless they're really extreme. Maybe your appraiser was just picky? I've seen some wild colors pass without issue.
Anyway, glad you're sorted now—just wanted to share another perspective.
Interesting points, especially about the appraisal thing. As a first-timer, I'm still figuring out all these little quirks. A couple things I'm wondering about:
- If you order your own appraisal early, does the lender always accept it? Or can they still insist on their own appraiser later? Seems like a gamble if it's pricey...
- About paint colors—glad to hear teal isn't a dealbreaker, haha. But seriously, how extreme is "extreme"? Like neon pink or something? My place has this weird mustard-yellow kitchen wall (previous owner's choice, not mine!), and now I'm wondering if that's gonna raise eyebrows.
Anyway, appreciate the extra perspective. All these little details are making homeownership feel like one big puzzle...
"If you order your own appraisal early, does the lender always accept it? Or can they still insist on their own appraiser later?"
Yeah, lenders usually prefer their own approved appraisers, so getting your own early might not save you much hassle (or money). Learned that the hard way myself—ended up paying twice. As for paint colors, mustard-yellow isn't too bad honestly... I've seen houses with lime-green bedrooms sell just fine. Buyers usually look past paint since it's an easy fix.
Actually, I'd push back a bit on the paint thing...
"Buyers usually look past paint since it's an easy fix."
True, but you'd be surprised how many buyers struggle to visualize beyond bold or unusual colors. Had a client whose house sat for months until they repainted a bright orange kitchen to something neutral—then it sold in weeks. Paint might seem trivial, but first impressions matter more than you'd think, especially in competitive markets.
