The Mortgage Files

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

How earning more income affects your ability to buy a home.

How earning more income affects your ability to buy a home

By Scott Sheldon / April 3, 2023

If you’re thinking about purchasing a house, it’s not just your credit score and your down payment that counts, it’s also your income, as your income drives affordability. How much income you generate is going to determine whether you’re able to buy a home. Here are some things to know about income when buying a…

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fha rule mortgage loan

This FHA lender rule could be problematic for your mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / March 26, 2023

If you’re applying for a residential mortgage loan and you’re looking at an FHA loan to purchase or refinance a home this lender requirement could be problematic for you as it relates to qualifying… All FHA Mortgage Lenders in the United States use a system by Hud called FHA Connection.  Its database is used to…

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Why Silicon Valley Bank failed and why it's good news for mortgage rates going forward

Why Silicon Valley Bank failed and why it’s good news for mortgage rates going forward

By Scott Sheldon / March 19, 2023

The recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank points to a broader issue that banks particularly depository institutions face as relates to their financial stability. Here is how this benefits your finances when buying or refinancing a home… Here is how a bank works, a bank takes the depositor’s money, and lends it out. They do…

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locking mortgage rate with discount points

Should I pay discount points when locking my interest rate?

By Scott Sheldon / March 12, 2023

For those looking to purchase to refinance a home, there might be some shellshock as it relates to costs associated with getting a home loan these days. It’s no surprise we are still in an inflationary environment and home loan rates are still feeling the effects of the broader inflationary environment. As a result, you…

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What’s the lowest credit score to get a home loan?

What’s the lowest credit score to get a home loan?

By Scott Sheldon / February 23, 2023

There is a significant amount of inaccurate information online and in the real estate community about the credit score needed to get a home loan to purchase or refinance a home. Talk to one company they’ll tell you XYZ, talk to another company they’ll tell you something else entirely, talk to another company, and you…

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Why an FHA Mortgage is by far the best out of the box loan option to buy a house

Why an FHA Mortgage is by far the best out of the box loan option to buy a house

By Scott Sheldon / January 29, 2023

FHA loans which are loans ensured by the federal housing administration oftentimes have gotten a bad rap, for the costs associated with them as well as the types of properties that will be insured by the FHA. The reality of it is that the NFA chain loan is by far unequivocally the most flexible loan…

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4 proven ways real estate wealth

4 proven ways real estate will make your wealthier

By Scott Sheldon / January 8, 2023

If you’re thinking about buying a home, good, it’s a sound financial decision and it’s the bedrock by which most Americans in America have created wealth for themselves and their families. Here are the four pillars of owning real estate and how they all work in tandem with each other to make you wealthier as…

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self employed mortgage tough

Are you self-employed and having a tough time getting a mortgage?

By Scott Sheldon / January 1, 2023

Are you self-employed and having a tough time getting a mortgage? Here’s what you need to know… When it comes to being self-employed one of the biggest challenges that you’re going to have as an entrepreneur is reporting income. The more income you show the more taxes you pay, and the more taxes you pay…

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