all right, let's go to lynda coming to us on webcam from north carolina.rlfriend, what do you need to know? >> hi, suze. my husband and i would like to purchase a home in the near future, and we had a question about putting 20% down. my husband is concerned about a higher monthly mortgage payment and paying p.m.i., and i'm wondering, since interest rates are so low right now, if our money would be better invested. >> no, your money would not be better invested. your money would be far better off as a down payment. if you don't put at least 20% down, you will pay p.m.i., which is private mortgage insurance. now, here's the scoop. new p.m.i., it lasts for the entire length of the loan. you know, it used to be if you paid p.m.i. -- and you pay p.m.i. when you don't put at least 20% down -- used to go away once you had 20% equity in your home. in many cases now, it does not go away. so you are going to be paying that extra half or 1% on a large mortgage for what? for the rest of the time you have a mortgage. that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. if you ar