Soak time. The length of time you marinate food depends on both the food and the marinade. Delicate fish, shellfish, and fruit usually soak for a shorter period of time (from 20 minutes to a few hours), while meats can go longer (up to a day or two).
Having your taxes and insurance included in your mortgage payment is actually very convenient. Instead of having to pay an annual insurance premium and half of your annual taxes on April 30th and the second half on October 31st, the lender establishes an automatic savings plan for you.
Down Payments and PMI. Borrowers whose down payment is less than 20 percent must pay for private mortgage insurance. PMI insures the lender for the amount of loan-to-value above 80 percent. For example, a $100,000 home with a $90,000 mortgage has a 90 percent LTV.