The Mortgage Files

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

Will Loans With A Few Payments Left Hurt My Home Buying Chances?

By Scott Sheldon / November 20, 2015

If you’re thinking about qualifying for a mortgage, here’s what you must know if you have payments with a few months left to go. Get the facts… When you apply for a mortgage loan, the lender takes in the consideration your credit score, your cash you plan to use to spend on a home, your…

How Generating A Bigger Income Plays A Role In Your Borrowing Power

By Scott Sheldon / November 13, 2015

Ever wonder the best way to gain more control of your debt? A low rate and payment helps, but discipline and smart income choices play an important role as well… Income is a crucial component lenders look at when granting you a mortgage loan. It is the basis by which they are going to get…

When Should I Lock-In My Mortgage Rate?

By Scott Sheldon / November 10, 2015

Not sure when to lock your interest rate on your mortgage? Here’s a few things to consider in getting the best possible combination of rate and price… The biggest things that determine the final rate and pricing are: loan size occupancy loan program i.e. Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA credit score property type loan to value…

Why You’re Burning Money If You Have Not Yet Refinanced Your 4.25 Or Higher Mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / October 29, 2015

If you’re serious about reducing your interest expense associated with your mortgage, refinancing is a guaranteed bet to reduce your payment, reduce your cost of funds and pay off your home faster. Haven’t refinanced yet? Know your options… Rate Reduction This is number reason most consumers elect to refinance. The biggest driver of payment reduction…

Why Renting May Delay Your Home Buying Efforts

By Scott Sheldon / October 22, 2015

Renters everywhere are feeling the constraints of rising rents. Rising rents erodes your ability to save for the cash needed to buy a home. It becomes a catch 22 because the longer you rent the more you need to save in order to offset rent increases while maintaining the rate at which you are saving.…

Your Student Loan Credit May Secretly Limit Your Mortgage Options

By Scott Sheldon / October 17, 2015

If not handled properly, your student loan may adversely change your home purchase plans. Here’s what you probably don’t know regarding your student loan servicer… Just like any other credit obligation, your student loan servicer reports to the credit bureaus. Even if the payment is deferred, the obligation still reports every 30 days much like…

How Mortgage Interest Works

By Scott Sheldon / October 9, 2015

Mortgage interest is a double edge sword, on one hand it’s a tax-deductible expense, but by and large it is the heaviest cost of homeownership. What to pay attention to if you have not done a mortgage in a few years or bought a home before. Interest Works The Opposite Of Rent The amount of…

Five Things Consumer Still Do In The Loan Process That Hurts Their Loan Closing

By Scott Sheldon / October 2, 2015

Lending requirements are starting to loosen, and gone are the days of overly stringent mortgage underwriting. While this remains… here are five things borrowers still do in the loan process that make things more dicey. Co-mingling Gift Funds-let’s say you’re receiving gift monies from family to buy a home. You instruct your family member providing…