The Mortgage Files

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

How to balance a budget with a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / April 5, 2018

  Balancing a mortgage payment with other monthly liabilities in your life can be a balancing act. Here’s some tips to follow when trying to juggle liabilities, while still being able to save money. The ideal Financial profile is healthy blend of cash, credit and income. Simply put, the optimal financial profile would be to…

How a recast mortgage will benefit you as a consumer

By Scott Sheldon / March 20, 2018

Deciding which mortgage company to handle your financing can often be a tedious process requiring hours of time, comparing various rates, fees, terms experience and quality of the person that you’re working with. Here is one additional factor to consider… You ought to select the lender whose terms are all woven into the fabric of…

10 tried and true ways you could hurt your home loan

By Scott Sheldon / February 12, 2018

Getting a mortgage is not an effortless process, it is just not. The loan process today is an extremely compliant and very bureaucratic process that requires proof of one’s ability to repay that mortgage. Following is ten things you will want to avoid when seeking a home mortgage loan… 1. Refusal to provide documentation. The…

Did you know the credit score you need to get a mortgage is less than 600?

By Scott Sheldon / February 5, 2018

The credit score to get a mortgage to buy a house is a lot less than you think. Here’s what the magic credit score is and what options you have available if your credit score is not the greatest and you’re looking to purchase or refinance a home… Despite what you read on the internet…

When is the right time to buy a home?

By Scott Sheldon / July 8, 2017

The right time to purchase a home is different for every consumer. Following are some reason why you may want to pull the trigger sooner rather than later. In most areas throughout the country over the last 30 years anyone who has bought a home and held it for a 10 year cycle has done financially…

How saving plays a role in your home buying plan

By Scott Sheldon / June 14, 2016

Saving up to buy a home is no easy feat. Here’s what you should take into consideration when planning out a home purchase. One of the key components of being able to successfully buy a home is having enough cash for a down payment plus closing costs. Generally, you’ll need at least $20,000 to buy…

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…

Axing The Car Lease May Help Your Home Buying Efforts

By Scott Sheldon / December 31, 2015

Obtaining financing to buy a home is undoubtedly a process of documenting, explaining and documenting some more.  Here is how a car lease can be a hurdle for home buying plan. Work-around options… What You Pay Counts When you apply for a mortgage loan, a mortgage broker is going tally up total payments you make…