The Mortgage Files

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

Can I Buy A House With Late Rent Payment On My Record?

By Scott Sheldon / June 26, 2013

Traditionally, no however this does a vary on a per lender basis. Short answer, not all mortgage lenders have the same credit characteristics or guidelines. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do have set guidelines that lenders are required to follow. While this holds true, sometimes depending on how well capitalized your lender is and whether…

Why Do Closing Costs Cost More When Buying A House?

By Scott Sheldon / May 28, 2013

This is a standard within the industry, closing costs on a purchase transaction cost more than a refinance transaction. One reason is because there is an additional form of title insurance when buying a house that’s not required on refinance transaction. When you buy a house, there’s two forms of title insurance required when taking…

Are there any no down payment loans for home buying any more?

By Scott Sheldon / May 7, 2013

Yes, although slightly limited. Without any down payment, you’ll most likely be looking at one of two loan programs both of which have some slight limitations to be aware of. Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of each program, know this: It only takes 3.5% down to buy a home these days.  Additionally,…

What's the minimum credit score I need to get a mortgage loan?

By Scott Sheldon / May 3, 2013

You will need at least a middle credit score of 620 or better. A mortgage company will pull a tri- merge credit report from each credit bureau. There will be three scores, a high score, a middle score and a low score. It doesn’t matter which bureau provides it, but the middle credit score is…

Considering Home Buying: Is There A Simple Way To Determine A Payment?

By Scott Sheldon / April 29, 2013

Yes, this is especially useful when you’re out on the weekends with your real estate agent looking at houses and you can’t get reach your lender on the weekend. Best possible way to determine your house payment is by using an equivalent of every $100,000 borrowed Here’s the math: For every $100,000 in purchase price…

I'm preapproved for a Santa Rosa Mortgage. Why can't I get my purchase offer accepted?

By Scott Sheldon / April 26, 2013

Fantastic question!  Before we dive down to the nuts and bolts, consider the present market. There’s been more government regulation including a recent legal settlement heavily influencing banks to remove bank owned property from the market, clean up their books and expedite short sales (which now take 3 to 4 months).As a result, less homes…

Who Has The Best Rates For A Sonoma County Home Loan?

By Scott Sheldon / April 22, 2013

The answer is nobody. Not anyone lender has a monopoly on the market. Interest rates change on a daily basis. When you hear interest rates advertised on the radio or online or you hear that interest rates drop again the information is automatically outdated. Why is this? Very simple answer-mortgage rates are tied to mortgage…

Why Should I Work With a Lender Whose Interest Rate Is Higher?

By Scott Sheldon / April 20, 2013

Question is a pretty common one, most consumers typically  compare at least 2 to 3 lenders to see who has the best combination of the lowest interest rate and lowest fee. What people are really trying to find is the lowest cost mortgage and rightfully so, taking out a home loan is a big financial…