The Mortgage Files

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

Short Sale in 2011? How about a 2011 Bankruptcy?

By Scott Sheldon / April 7, 2013

Think you can’t qualify for a loan because of a short sale as recent as 2011? Think again, you actually could qualify. How about a 2011 Chapter 7 bankruptcy? Yep, you can still potentially qualify. For anyone who had a recent short sale, even foreclosure or bankruptcy, read on…. Lending rules in place: Short sale-…

Will pulling a credit report for a mortgage make my credit score drop?

By Scott Sheldon / April 2, 2013

Short answer-it depends. The majority of the time when a mortgage lender pulls a copy of your credit report, while it does show up as an inquiry on the tri-merge report, it does not necessarily make your credit score automatically drop. Where people get into trouble, is when they’re applying for a mortgage, applying for…

Do FHA Streamline Refinances Make Sense?

By Scott Sheldon / April 1, 2013

This depends on when you took out your FHA Mortgage. If the FHA Loan you’re thinking about refinancing was taken out June 1, 2009 or before, you have a substantial benefit to refinance with much lower monthly mortgage insurance payment coupled with significantly lower rates, providing a dramatic monthly savings. On the other hand if…

The Truth About Co-Signing On Someone Else's Home Loan

By Scott Sheldon / March 31, 2013

Want to be 100% liable for someone else’s mortgage? Then cosign for them and you’ll be just as financially accountable for repaying the obligation as they are even though you are cosigning to simply assist the other party. When you cosign on a big-ticket item like a home loan, you are in essence lending your…

Why Ability To Qualify Supersedes Rate

By Scott Sheldon / March 22, 2013

Consumers shopping for a mortgage typically concentrate on attaining lowest possible interest rate. Rates have risen slightly in recent weeks as a more exuberant stock market has taken shape. Current consensus points to more consumers entering the mortgage market, motivated to take action, as a result. Factors At Work The financial markets, jobs data, and…

How Does Co-Signing Affect My Ability To Qualify For A Mortgage Loan?

By Scott Sheldon / March 18, 2013

If you can find a cosigner for your mortgage, come programs include FHA loans and conventional mortgages, you could potentially qualify for a larger purchase price by taking on larger payment on a monthly basis. The other person has to provide a letter of explanation to the lender explaining specifically why they are willing to…

Top Make Sense Reasons To Refinance

By Scott Sheldon / March 15, 2013

Take heed mortgage rates are still favorable, even if you took out loan as recently as last year. When it comes to refinancing, borrowers must have two components:  loan make sense + net tangible benefit. Reasons To Remortgage Your Home Lowering Or Getting Out Of Monthly Mortgage Insurance Refinancing into a new loan with no…

Another lender is asking me for my business tax returns, including my K-1's and 1120's, is this normal?

By Scott Sheldon / March 14, 2013

Yes, if the lender is requiring tax returns, then most likely the reason this is coming up is because there’s some link between your business tax return and your personal 1040s. In other words for every business you own, that files a corporate tax return then yes mortgage lenders underwriter is going to require each…