The Mortgage Files

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

How to balance a budget with a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / April 5, 2018

  Balancing a mortgage payment with other monthly liabilities in your life can be a balancing act. Here’s some tips to follow when trying to juggle liabilities, while still being able to save money. The ideal Financial profile is healthy blend of cash, credit and income. Simply put, the optimal financial profile would be to…

Why you need to buy a house if you have access to cash

By Scott Sheldon / March 28, 2018

Buying a house is probably the largest financial transaction most people will ever take on. Following is why you need to consider purchasing a house if you have access to cash… Buying a first home can be a pivotal moment in the milestones of life. Many people want the pride of being able to purchase…

How a recast mortgage will benefit you as a consumer

By Scott Sheldon / March 20, 2018

Deciding which mortgage company to handle your financing can often be a tedious process requiring hours of time, comparing various rates, fees, terms experience and quality of the person that you’re working with. Here is one additional factor to consider… You ought to select the lender whose terms are all woven into the fabric of…

How to omit debt when applying for a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / March 13, 2018

To successfully procure mortgage loan financing you must have an equal blend of cash, credit and income. This blend of cash credit and income, also involves the examination of your ongoing reoccurring financial obligations. Here’s some ways to improve your borrowing by omitting monthly payment obligations for the purposes of qualifying for a mortgage… Can…

The only 5 guaranteed ways to boost borrowing power

By Scott Sheldon / March 8, 2018

Interest rates are on the rise and the cost of funds is now hovering just below 5% on the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Following are tried and true techniques you can use to improve your mortgage borrowing power. Paying off debt This one is huge. Minimum payments on car loans, student loans, credit cards and…

The new Sonoma County housing and mortgage rate market

By Scott Sheldon / February 22, 2018

The Sonoma County real estate market has changed considerably in the last few years. If you’re going to be purchasing or refinancing a house here is what you need to know… The median house price in Sonoma County is $670,000 brought on by a few factors. Primarily, the Sonoma County housing market over the course…

How you skip a payment when you refinance

By Scott Sheldon / February 16, 2018

Refinancing your house is a big decision and requires careful consideration of the mortgage loan program, interest rate, fees and more importantly the longer-term financial goals. Here’s what really happens when you refinance your house and skip a payment… Mortgage interest is calculated in arrears. Put another way, when you make mortgage payment due on…

10 tried and true ways you could hurt your home loan

By Scott Sheldon / February 12, 2018

Getting a mortgage is not an effortless process, it is just not. The loan process today is an extremely compliant and very bureaucratic process that requires proof of one’s ability to repay that mortgage. Following is ten things you will want to avoid when seeking a home mortgage loan… 1. Refusal to provide documentation. The…