The Mortgage Files

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

Higher Mortgage Rates For Conforming High Balance Mortgages

By Scott Sheldon / December 18, 2012

If you are in the market for a mortgage refinance or home purchase, plan to pay more if you are borrowing more than the conforming loan limit. The national conforming loan limit for the best mortgage rates is $417,000 extending through December 31, 2013. If your loan is up to $417,000 or lower, generally you’ll…

Refinancing Now Takes Longer Than 30 Days

By Scott Sheldon / December 2, 2012

Homeowners refinancing their mortgages will now come to learn the refinance process is taking longer than 30 days. Here’s the scoop: mortgage-backed securities (MBS) continue to be a very lucrative investment vehicle in these economic times. Safe, conservative returns with a fixed income provides an awfully attractive place to park one’s money considering little volatility…

Which Mortgage Company For My Home Loan?

By Scott Sheldon / October 28, 2012

How to select the right mortgage company for competitive rates. Choosing the right mortgage company to handle your loan is much easier said than done. Mortgage companies have so many designations, “mortgage broker”, “mortgage lender”, “mortgage bank” and then there’s individual banks and local credit unions. Begin by understanding the differences between the various mortgage…

How Your Fico Score Affects Your Ability To Get A Mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / September 30, 2012

“Why can’t I get the interest rates I see advertised on the Internet.” One of the most important characteristics of securing a mortgage is your Fico Score. Simply put, the lower the credit score higher the interest rate. How Your Fico Score rates is what determines both your eligibility for the mortgage as well as…

Does It Make Sense To Refinance?

By Scott Sheldon / September 2, 2012

  This is the age-old question we are asked time and time again on nearly every mortgage scenario. Nobody wants to refinance their home loan, with any shroud of doubt. So how do you determine whether the cost-benefit is the right choice for you and your family? 2 Tests will determine if refinancing makes sense…

Why A "No Cost Mortgage" Still Costs

By Scott Sheldon / August 26, 2012

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Such words have never been more relevant to consumers being pitched to take out a no cost loan. No cost mortgage mortgages have been around since the mid-90s and offer consumers the ability to pay no closing fees. The general closing costs, you’d otherwise pay in procuring…

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…

Mortgage Comparison Shopping: How To Read The Good Faith Estimate

By Scott Sheldon / May 20, 2012

Taking out a mortgage loan requires careful consideration of all the costs associated with a purchase or refinance transaction. For many, trying to do their due diligence of mortgage comparison shopping, reading, analyzing and interpreting the good faith estimate can be somewhat of a misnomer. The revised good faith estimate goes into much greater detail…