The Mortgage Files

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

FHA’s 2016 Loan Limit Increases May Help You Buy A Home Or Refinance More Easily

By Scott Sheldon / December 14, 2015

If you have been on the fence about buying a home or refinancing the one you already own, the 2016 FHA loan limit increases may financially benefit you. Here’s how… The Federal Housing Administration continues their mission in helping consumers realize the dream of homeownership. In today’s mortgage lending environment there’s three buckets of loan…

Can You Borrow A Down Payment To Buy A Home ?

By Scott Sheldon / December 7, 2015

Planning to buy a home sometime soon? If you’re working on the down payment, know what you can and cannot do with your bank. Here are the top 4 ways to borrow the cash needed for a home… 401k/Retirements or Liquid Assets- this option remains a viable source to procure down payment funds to buy…

Home Equity Line Of Credit Loans May Soon Be Adjusting Up

By Scott Sheldon / November 24, 2015

If you have a home-equity line of credit, or thinking about getting one, here is what you need to know to make a smart choice given today’s rate environment. Home-Equity Lines Of Credit (HELOCS) These loans are relatively simple to obtain and in exchange for a few hundred dollars of fees you can have access…

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…

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…

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…

Here’s An Unconventional Way To Pay Off Your Home Faster Without Changing Terms

By Scott Sheldon / September 14, 2015

Most strategies to pay off your home involve making radical principal prepayments or moving to a shorter-term debt structure. Here is a way to refinance your home using your lender’s money. Quick Finance Lesson: Lenders generate more revenue on higher interest rate loans. The catch is, the additional revenue is not kept by the lender,…