The Mortgage Files

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

Risky income moves which may prevent you from getting a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / November 6, 2020

One of the challenges of getting mortgage loan financing these days is showing total and complete monthly income. Contrary to popular belief you must be able to support ability-to-repay (ATR) as a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has laws in place to make sure abusive lending practices from days past don’t repeat themselves. One of the…

How a homeowners association payment can change your borrowing power

By Scott Sheldon / October 30, 2020

A homeowners association payment can change your borrowing power. Here’s what you might want to think about when deciding to buy a home with a home owner’s association… A homeowners association payment can make or break your ability and or your desire to purchase a home. One of the things about homeowners association payments that…

How to decide the right time to buy a home

By Scott Sheldon / October 22, 2020

One of the challenges people have when deciding to purchase a house is trying to pinpoint the right time to make the move. Everyone is in a different stage of life and pinpointing the optimal time can be a little bit tricky depending on one’s personal finances. Here are some things to consider when deciding…

Here’s 3 types of pricier mortgages

By Scott Sheldon / October 15, 2020

When you’re in the market to get new mortgage loan financing it can seem like it’s an endless navigational process to figure out what loan amount, what interest rate, what program what option is best suited to meet your needs. Here five pricier types of mortgages to be aware of… Cash-out refinances cost more because…

Can you get a mortgage if your loan is in forbearance?

By Scott Sheldon / September 23, 2020

One of the challenges of securing mortgage financing during this COVID-19 environment is forbearance. The pandemic has created some rather unprecedented and unique situations for people desiring to borrow money. If your mortgage loan is in forbearance and you’re trying to get a mortgage here’s what you need to know… First things first it doesn’t…

Which company you chose to handle your home refinance matters

By Scott Sheldon / August 25, 2020

Should you refinance your house with the random mortgage company offering you what appears to be too good to be true? Maybe…read on. One of the things which play in the mortgage industry is lenders popping up at of nowhere when interest rates drop. Quick buck companies that solely rely on refinance activity arrive out…

How to button up your finances for getting a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / July 30, 2020

If you are trying to get a mortgage, the number one thing you need is affordability. How much you earn in relation to how much you spend can make or break your mortgage application. Here are some things to consider when you’re trying to figure out how to best improve your chances of borrowing money…

How to use a 401k for down payment to buy a home

By Scott Sheldon / July 24, 2020

Does it make sense to tap your 401k to purchase a home? For most families in America, one of the biggest Staples of wealth is a retirement account. Here is what you might want to keep in mind when you are deciding where to get funds to purchase a house… To successfully close on a…