i put $100 down (HUD program) and was able to get 5.000%, and that was locked in jan 21, 2009. i think between then and closing it only dropped to as low as 4.875. i do though have PMI which is like $34/mo
you can look up any property on the county auditor/assessors website (theyre auditors in ohio but just about any other state theyre assessors. probably do the same thing) to figure taxes. if you buy the house under the auditors value, dispute that shit at the 1st of the year. i just got my taxes dropped like $850/yr this year, and it was retro to 2009, so they cut me a check off of what was already paid. its at like $1743 now on a house total value of like $80k (what it appraised for when i bought it, but was at 115,300 in 2007)