The Mortgage Files

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

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…

How you skip a payment when you refinance

By Scott Sheldon / February 16, 2018

Refinancing your house is a big decision and requires careful consideration of the mortgage loan program, interest rate, fees and more importantly the longer-term financial goals. Here’s what really happens when you refinance your house and skip a payment… Mortgage interest is calculated in arrears. Put another way, when you make mortgage payment due on…

New tax bill 2018- why people should refinance their equity lines and second mortgages

By Scott Sheldon / January 16, 2018

The new 2017 tax plan is spelling unwelcome news for mortgage borrowers who hold home equity lines of credit. Here is what to know if you have a home equity line of credit or a second mortgage on your home… What are home equity lines of credit? Home equity lines of credit are essentially enormous…

Why the credit score you think you have might not be correct for a mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / January 7, 2018

Consumers thinking about getting a mortgage should know where they stand. Here is what you might not know about your credit score when it comes to applying for a mortgage. The truth is not all credit reports are created equal. Many of the consumer credit reporting services that are available in the market place today…

2 things to watch for buying a house in 2018

By Scott Sheldon / January 1, 2018

This local county housing market continues to evolve and show strong signs of growth and appreciation. Here is what you need to know if you are going to be buying a house in 2018… Two things to watch for is interest rates and home prices. Both heavily can affect your ability to borrow and ultimately,…

How the new tax plan may affect Sonoma County home buyers

By Scott Sheldon / December 26, 2017

On December 22, 2017 president trump signed into law the new tax plan changing the tax deduction of home ownership. Here’s what this means for you and your home buying efforts in 2018 and beyond. Prior to December 22, 2017 homeowners could write-off mortgage interest for the acquisition of a primary home or a secondary home…

How your mortgage payment changes per every $100,000 in purchase price

By Scott Sheldon / December 11, 2017

One of the questions home buyers have when house hunting is the relationship between their monthly mortgage payment and how much purchase price they are looking to take on. Here’s what you can use as a guide when you’re house hunting to help determine that bridge that gap… In most instances, for every $100,000 of…

FHFA Increases 2018 Sonoma County Loan Limits

By Scott Sheldon / December 7, 2017

The Federal Housing Finance Agency just released the new 2018 national loan limits. These loan limits provide increases in most counties throughout the United States. Here’s how the changes will benefit you when buying or refinancing a home. The loan limit increase changes the conforming loan limit from $424,100 to $453,100. This increase allows for…