The Mortgage Files

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

What’s the magic interest rate to refinance your mortgage?

By Scott Sheldon / February 5, 2023

For consumers who purchased their homes or took out any kind of residential mortgage loan in 2022 the future prospect of refinancing can seem very attractive. Here are some things you might want to consider as to finding what mortgage rate is generally the best to justify moving forward on a refinance when rates drop……

Why you might want to consider a DSCR loan to buy a rental property

By Scott Sheldon / January 22, 2023

What is a DSCR loan and how can this type of financing help you purchase a rental property portfolio? In Q3 2022, the DSCR loan emerged as a viable option for investors looking to buy a rental property who need a bit more flexibility than traditional loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. DSCR…

What to do when you’re told you can’t qualify for a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / December 25, 2022

If you’re trying to purchase or refinance a home and you’ve been turned down, read on. Perhaps your income is not up to par, or your credit score is not up to par or there’s some sort of material financial situation making your loan application problematic. Here is what to know… Most mortgage companies generally…

How assumable mortgage loans work

By Scott Sheldon / December 11, 2022

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home and have been discouraged about interest rates you might be able to assume the seller’s mortgage. Think it’s too good to be true? It’s not. Here’s some information that you might need to know as it relates to assuming someone else’s mortgage when buying a home… Let’s…

New Mortgage Loan Limits for 2023

By Scott Sheldon / December 4, 2022

The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced on Tuesday, November 29th the new loan limits for 2023. The new conforming loan limit has increased and has been year over year 7 years in a row. If you’re thinking about purchasing or refinancing a home in 2023 here is what you need to know… The loan limit…

5 reasons you’re not ready to buy a home

By Scott Sheldon / October 30, 2022

Buying a home is considered to be the American dream. Buying a home however is also not for everyone as it requires careful consideration of planning, a little bit of success, and the right people working for you. Just because you can buy a home doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Here are five reasons…

Should you refinance to become more lendable?

By sonomacountym / October 16, 2022

Most families who own homes generally don’t want to refinance unless they can lower their interest rate, pay off debt, consolidate obligations, and/or fix up their homes. Those are all tangible benefits associated with refinancing your home. There are some other things you might want to consider particularly if your situation has some financial obstacles……

Does waiting for the right time to buy a home make economic sense?

By Scott Sheldon / October 9, 2022

If you’ve been thinking about whether you should purchase a home, you might want to think about applying with a lender. This helps to get a read on where you are financial picture. If you’ve been thinking about purchasing a home, but you’re just not quite sure yet here are some things to consider…  …