The Mortgage Files

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

Buy a New Home Without Selling First | Avoid Contingent Offers

By Scott Sheldon / January 21, 2026

How to Buy a New Home Without Selling First One of the biggest challenges many homebuyers face today is wanting to buy a new home while still owning their current one. It’s an extremely common situation. You’ve built equity, you’re ready for the next chapter, but you can’t—or don’t want to—sell your current home before…

Should You Sell or Rent Out Your Current Home When Buying a New One?

By Scott Sheldon / July 17, 2025

Should You Sell Your Home or Keep It as a Rental? When you’re thinking about buying a new home and you already have a mortgage on your current property, it’s a big financial and emotional decision. Maybe your current home has become too small, there’s a lot of road noise, or your growing family simply…

Why days on market (DOM) matters for Sonoma County home buyers

By Scott Sheldon / July 1, 2025

If you’re on the hunt for a home in Sonoma County, you might have noticed listings aren’t flying off the shelves as quickly as they were—yet the pace is still brisk. In May 2025, homes typically went pending in about 37 days, about six days longer than last year. That extra time isn’t just a…

How to qualify for two FHA Loans

By Scott Sheldon / June 24, 2025

Can You Have Two FHA Loans at Once? Here’s What You Need to Know FHA loans are designed to help people buy primary residences—not investment properties, second homes, or vacation getaways. That’s why, under normal guidelines, you can only have one FHA loan out at a time. But what if your life circumstances change and…