The Mortgage Files

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

New Jobs and Mortgages

Can you get a mortgage with a brand new job or a recent raise?

By Scott Sheldon / June 14, 2021

One of the most important things consumers have to deal with when securing mortgage loan financing besides having a good credit score and a good down payment is having income to actually offset the proposed liability i.e, a  mortgage payment. Income is single-handedly the most important thing because it drives affordability. Lenders and banks know…

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mortgage income covid 19 202

How to get a mortgage if your income was affected by Covid_19 in 2020

By Scott Sheldon / May 25, 2021

If you experienced any financial difficulty in 2020 and are now back on your feet and looking to purchase or refinance a home this information is for you… Every mortgage company is going to review your situation a little bit differently unfortunately, it’s not one size fits all as a result some lenders have an…

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how to buy a home and make your offer stronger

How to spruce up your offer to buy a home

By Scott Sheldon / May 18, 2021

Let’s say if you are in the market to be buying a home in the current environment here some things you might want to be aware of with regards to acting on a house that’s within your budget… Let’s say as a result the house you could afford is say $650k. For whatever reason, you…

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How buy a home with 0 down payment

Can you realistically buy a home with no money down?

By Scott Sheldon / May 5, 2021

In order to be successful in real estate, you need to take the advice of a good quality lender experienced in the local area in which looking to purchase. While it is possible to secure a no down payment program, closing on a home in this unique real estate market is another matter. Following is…

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Making the choice between a new home and an exisiting home isn't easy

Should you buy an existing home or build a new one?

By Scott Sheldon / April 28, 2021

In this environment, it’s no easy feat to get your foot in the door with real estate. You really have to avenues buy a house already in existence or build a new one. Here’s the skinny on both… Building a home  Building a house is not for the faint of heart.  It requires a considerable…

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Here's a strategy to buy a home and set up a future refinance

How much money you need to purchase a home

By Scott Sheldon / April 21, 2021

The old adage you need 20% down to buy a home these days couldn’t be further from the truth. Contrary to popular belief, you only need a very small down payment to be successful in purchasing a home. 20% down is the old school mantra of lending however if you can put down 20% your…

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income tax returns mortgage 2021

How to get a mortgage without tax returns for 2021

By Scott Sheldon / April 14, 2021

It goes without saying getting mortgage loan financing could be a little bit of an arduous process for some folks particularly those who have challenges showing income are in the self-employed category. The stated income loans and the loans that were created for self-employed borrowers unfortunately are very far and few these days and in…

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How to handle this mortgage rate environment

How to handle this mortgage rate environment

By Scott Sheldon / April 7, 2021

With the new administration we have, the extra stimulus the federal government is working its way through the markets, inflation, or fears of inflation is definitely upon us and as result, an unstable mortgage rate environment is upon us… The reality of it is no mortgage loan officer no matter how good they are has…

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