The Mortgage Files

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

how to make your mortgage fit the box

Make your credit fit the mortgage box

By Scott Sheldon / March 6, 2016

If you have some credit challenges preventing you from getting mortgage with competitive rates and fees, read on. Here are some tips you can take to the bank… Know this: you need not have perfect credit to buy a home or get a mortgage. Your credit just needs to be sufficient; good, bad, ugly or…

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What your should know when cash out refinancing your home in excess of 417k

How to cash out refinance a loan bigger than 417k

By Scott Sheldon / February 20, 2016

Lending guidelines were recently loosened on cash out refinance transactions. If you’re looking to refinance and pull out funds for home improvement, or another project, here’s what you should know if your loan size exceeds $417,000. Mortgage loans bigger than $417,000 are going to cost more. Here’s why: when a mortgage loan exceeds $417k the…

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fha loans to buy a home

How Often Can You Refinance Your Home?

By Scott Sheldon / January 8, 2016

There is no limitation to how frequently you can refinance your home. Do it as often and freely as you like as it financially makes sense to do so. Following are some things to consider when pulling the trigger… Closing Costs Are you throwing good money after bad? If you recently paid fees on your…

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Refinancing: 4 Practical Money Saving Ways To Combine A First & Second Mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / December 22, 2015

Do you want to combine your first and second mortgage into one? Here’s 4 smart some money savings tips to be aware of when you submit a loan application. When you apply to refinance your home with the intent of financing more money beyond the balance of your first mortgage, your total loan amount could…

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How The 2016 Loan Limit Increases Will Benefit You

By Scott Sheldon / November 30, 2015

On November 25, 2015, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced the 2016 new loan limits. Most notably, four counties in California have increased as well as various others throughout the country. Here’s what you need to know regarding the changes… Know Your Loan Category When you apply for a mortgage to buy a home or…

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Unconventional way to pay off your home faster

Here’s An Unconventional Way To Pay Off Your Home Faster Without Changing Terms

By Scott Sheldon / September 14, 2015

Most strategies to pay off your home involve making radical principal prepayments or moving to a shorter-term debt structure. Here is a way to refinance your home using your lender’s money. Quick Finance Lesson: Lenders generate more revenue on higher interest rate loans. The catch is, the additional revenue is not kept by the lender,…

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The Way Lenders Price & Quote Mortgages

By Scott Sheldon / August 12, 2015

Here is why your interest and fees may be different than you what you saw in the news. How rates and risk based pricing affects your loan…. Mortgage Ads & The Media When you see ultra attractive loan offers or hear the media touting the latest development in interest rates, take it with a grain…

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How To Refinance To A 15 Year Mortgage Even If Your Financials Don't Pencil

By Scott Sheldon / April 2, 2015

One of the best way is bar none to eliminate your mortgage debt is moving into a 15 year fixed rate loan. With the average spread a full 1% compared to its 30 year mortgage counterpart, a 15 year mortgage provide can an increased rate of acceleration in paying off the biggest obligation of your…

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