The Mortgage Files

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

Steps To Buying A Home: Where To Begin

By Scott Sheldon / November 16, 2011

The decision to buy a home is a smart one. Real estate prices have never been more affordable and interest rates have never been lower creating a win-win scenario for people entering the market. Many people ask the question “how do I purchase a home? If you’re thinking about buying a home here the eight…

First Time Home Buyers Get Zero O% Down Payment

By Scott Sheldon / September 26, 2011

Sonoma County First Time Home Buyers are now getting to enjoy it easy street. For years, first time home buyers were capped at putting down hefty down payments. Since the markets have changed, first time home buyers in Sonoma County can now purchase a house with 0% down. Move up buyers can also purchase a…

FHA Loans Help The First Time Home Buyer

By Scott Sheldon / June 29, 2011

FHA Loans Help The First Time Home Buyer “Get In.” Almost the whole pool of available FHA loans are being provided to first time home buyers. The popularity of FHA loans has risen dramatically in the last few years. This is caused folks to strongly consider an FHA loan when financing a house. An FHA…

FHA Preapproval: Renting Vs Owning Sonoma County

By Scott Sheldon / January 31, 2011

With home prices at record lows, getting an FHA Preapproval is a smart financial decision. A big concern for a lot of folks, seeking FHA Preapproval unemployment. People simply do not buy homes if they are worried about losing their job. However these people need to live somewhere and more often than not, they most…

Buying Your First Home

By Scott Sheldon / December 26, 2010

Buying your first home is now a no brainer according to CNN. What I have found to be the case is that the majority of would be Sonoma County first time homebuyers generally know that purchasing a home today is a smart financial move. There are several things to consider in order to get the…

Understanding FHA Home Loans

By Scott Sheldon / November 13, 2010

The two types of loans offered by a local mortgage lenders are conventional loans and FHA Home Loans. We are going to be discussing FHA insured loans and some of the changes the Federal housing finance agency has put into place for local lender financing. As a local Santa Rosa mortgage lender, I can offer…

What? Another pre-approval?

By Scott Sheldon / October 31, 2010

If you are thinking about purchasing a home in Sonoma County be prepared to play the game for another pre-approval. The Sonoma County real estate market is dominated by REO otherwise commonly referred to as bank owned property. These unsold homes sitting on the market are oftentimes controlled by the big banks like Chase, Bofa…