The Mortgage Files

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

How Much Income Do You Need To Buy A House?

By Scott Sheldon / October 8, 2012

Home Loans are made against your ability to repay. While the mortgage loan is secured against the house, it is really made against your income. That’s what mortgage lenders are look for, income to offset liabilities. Yes, a house payment is liability for a borrower. Oftentimes, there is a disparity between how much house you…

Government Loans: To FHA or USDA

By Scott Sheldon / July 1, 2012

Any home buyer putting less than 20% down today has probably been offered or researched the possibility of using a government loan to buy a home. Government loans offer flexible financing alternatives to the standard 20% down conventional loan. Although government loans do contain monthly mortgage insurance, these options allow for a more complete story…

How To Get A Mortgage Loan Post Short Sale, Foreclosure or Bankrucpty Revisited

By Scott Sheldon / June 10, 2012

Not a week goes by when we are not asked “how soon can you buy a home or refinance a mortgage with a previous foreclosure, short sale or bankruptcy”. As the market continues to improve, many people are still seeking mortgage loans. Home buying opportunities have never been more affordable coupled with the low interest…

Buying A House: What To Expect

By Scott Sheldon / June 3, 2012

Buying a house is certainly a smart financial move given low mortgage rates and the most affordable home prices, ever.  Each market is different so for our purposes we will be looking at the Sonoma County California housing market. Following is what you can expect if you plan to purchase a house in Sonoma County…

FHA Home Loans: Mortgage Insurance Premiums Set To Rise!

By Scott Sheldon / March 12, 2012

Thinking about purchasing or refinancing using the Sonoma County mortgage? If yes, the mortgage insurance premiums on FHA Home Loans are set to rise again on April 1. The Federal Housing Administration continues to keep a close eye on their capital reserves and as a result, have instituted higher costs on FHA Home Loans originated…

Home Loan Denied: Consider Re-Applying With A Different Mortgage Company

By Scott Sheldon / February 20, 2012

Getting your home loan request denied, is certainly not a fun thing to deal with. Lots of times certain mortgage companies have internal mortgage loan underwriting requirements which might be more constrictive than a competitor of theirs. Not every mortgage company has the same set of guidelines and standards. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and…

Mortgage Tip: Buying A House With Ease

By Scott Sheldon / December 27, 2011

Buying a house these days can be a sound financial decision. Low interest rates plus low house prices makes buying a house today something that is within the grasp for many families. As the market has continued to tighten from an underwriting perspective buying a house can be a simple process or it can be…

First Time Home Buyers: Prime Opportunity In Winter Months

By Scott Sheldon / December 19, 2011

Sonoma County First Time Home buyers listen up we are in the month of December and in case you haven’t noticed, most people have thrown in the towel on their home search until April. This means there is prime opportunity in the market to get a mortgage from an abundance of first time buyer programs.…