The Mortgage Files

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

Do future Fed cuts mean lower mortgage rates?

By Scott Sheldon / January 11, 2024

When the Federal Reserve Bank increases or cuts the Fed funds rate, many people believe that it automatically makes mortgage rates go up or down. However, it’s not that simple. The relationship between the Fed’s actions on monetary policy and mortgage rates is a little more complex than that. When the Fed is increasing interest…

Building or Buying a Home with Little or No Down Payment: What to Consider

By Scott Sheldon / January 7, 2024

Title: Building or Buying a Home with Little or No Down Payment: What to Consider Are you dreaming of owning a home, but have little or no cash for a down payment? If you’re in this situation, you might be wondering whether building or buying a home is the right option for you. Both scenarios…

How improving mortgage rates drive purchasing power

By Scott Sheldon / December 17, 2023

Are you in the market for a new home? You might want to take advantage of the current trend in interest rates. In recent weeks, interest rates have come down by about half a percent, which can mean a significant increase in your purchasing power. If you are pre-approved with a mortgage company and looking…

Should you buy a more expensive home?

By Scott Sheldon / November 12, 2023

For families looking to purchase a home, a mortgage payment, and price of the home can go hand-in-hand decision making. If you find a house that could be a good fit for you and your family, but it seems a bit out of reach. Here are some things you might want to take some consideration…

Why being choosy as home buyer could be problematic

By Scott Sheldon / October 29, 2023

You’ve decided to buy a home, you’ve gotten preapproved with a lender, your file has even been pre-underwritten. Here are some things you might want to give some consideration to- what you want versus what the market might support… Here’s to considerations to think about.. Consideration one- Let’s say you’re pre-approved to $700,000, the house…

Are USDA loans worth the hype?

By Scott Sheldon / September 24, 2023

The US Department of Agriculture guarantees loans for certain families in certain geographic locations. These loans can be potentially an affordable loan program to help a family who doesn’t have a down payment buy a home in an area considered to be less industrialized a.k.a. agricultural. If you’re looking to get a USDA loan, here…

Here’s how your homebuying options change when interest rates fall

By Scott Sheldon / August 27, 2023

You and your family are thinking about buying a home, but the prospect of a 6.5-7.0% mortgage doesn’t sound all that appealing right? Do you want interest rates to come down so you can have a more affordable mortgage? This makes sense, but it’s a deeper problem and here are some things you should be…

What is a non-qualified mortgage and why do these loan types cost more?

By Scott Sheldon / July 23, 2023

If you’re thinking about purchasing or refinancing a home, you may have heard the term qualified mortgage. A qualified mortgage is a term coined by the CFPB that represents a full documentation loan with a debt-to-income ratio of 43%. Generally, most loans fit this category even though they sometimes allow debt to income ratio as…