The Mortgage Files

Nationally syndicated mortgage news and advice from Senior Loan Officer Scott Sheldon.

Selecting The Right Home Loan Program

By Scott Sheldon / September 14, 2011

With the small variety of home loan programs available today selecting the right home loan program is easier now more than ever. There are lots of different options available for both purchases and refinances. For this blog post we are going to be discussing purchase loan programs. With a decent credit score, documented job stability/income…

What Mortgage Lenders Want…CIA Analysis

By Scott Sheldon / September 12, 2011

Mortgage lenders today want to conduct a CIA analysis. A CIA analysis is short for credit income assets. These are the three things that we as mortgage lenders really need to see before we can tell you whether or not we can do a refinance loan or a purchase loan for you. Because I work…

FHA Loans- Which Properties Qualify?

By Scott Sheldon / September 9, 2011

There seems to be an ongoing stigma attached to FHA loans in the local Santa Rosa Sonoma County marketplace. The trend is that FHA loans are difficult to get because of specific property standards. Almost all the time, the property qualifies or the property has some small minor repairs that could easily be fixed prior…

Navigate Through The Home Loan Process

By Scott Sheldon / September 7, 2011

Congratulations your offer has been accepted and you are now officially “in contract.” Within the next 30 days you will have your keys to your home and your Santa Rosa Mortgage will be in place. That’s down the road, right now there’s several things we need to be focused on to avoid a course correction…

The Difference Between Mortgage Preapproval Vs. Prequalification

By Scott Sheldon / September 5, 2011

The Sonoma County Market is presenting opportunity for those seeking to purchase real estate. For everyone purchasing property with financing listen up because this pertains to you! If you are seeking a mortgage loan and live in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Windsor, Healdsburg, or even Sebastopol.. remember a preapproval letter is what you will need to…

Escrows & Impounds – The Bottom Line

By Scott Sheldon / September 2, 2011

Everyone hates paying property taxes. Property taxes are due twice a year on April 10 and on December 10. So if you have a mortgage in place already or are thinking about getting one, consider getting an escrow account set up a monthly basis. This will help you secure the best possible interest rate. Escrow…

Mortgage Tip: Internet Lenders …Know The Risks

By Scott Sheldon / September 1, 2011

Getting a Sonoma County Mortgage Loan requires careful consideration of not only the costs involved, but where you go to actually obtain financing. When people think of a mortgage they usually think of their local bank or a mortgage broker. Independent direct lenders are often lumped together with brokers because each is a paid to…

Home Mortgage Banks Are Strapped So Can Rates Get Any Lower?

By Scott Sheldon / August 30, 2011

Everyone knows our economy right now is unstable. The big question on everybody’s mind is can mortgage rates get any lower? My answer is no. I don’t see how interest rates can get any lower because of the simple fact that banks are not making money right now and they have not been making money…