Matt,
Just for the hell of it, insurance that big a deal. I pay for Life, hope to never need it. I pay for Health, hope I never need it. I pay for Auto, and I needed it 4 times in the last year, my own, when a deer hit ME, ran into the side of the car. Backed into in a parking lot, and 2 week later driven into the other side.
All repairs paid for by the Insurers, that means you probably threw in a fraction of a cent. 4th was when an axle broke, and the tow truck fucked the front end of my Audi all to hell. 1800 damage trying to load it to haul, via AAA. My own Insurer paid for that. That's about 3 years of my premium.
All in all, I am relatively happy that I HAVE insurance, and Medical in particular. I don't USE it, but I am happy to have it as a Benefit from my UNION Retirement.
swall,
I don't know why a bank that has you in a 5% mortgage would try too hard to get you into a 3.5% mortgage. Hey, they are going to make less money off you. Another bank will make 3.5% they were not, and they have money and no place to put it.
Schneider, this applies to you, too. Go to another bank. My kids did that a year or so ago. Had to change Banks.
I know nothing about all that shit, never had a mortgage. Built my house out of my own pocket. I'd probably shoot myself if I had a thou a month to come up with, or be tossed on the street. How you people can DO this, buy houses you cannot afford, and still be able to sleep, I'll never know.
George