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…

how filing your tax returns might hurt your mortgage chances

By Scott Sheldon / June 26, 2022

If you’re looking to purchase or refinance a home, and you have not filed your 2021 tax return yet. And this goes for any year, here’s what you need to know as it relates to showing income.   Let’s say you’re self-employed or you’re a W2 employee and you have additional income sources. Such as…

Why not all first time homebuyer programs are created equal

By Scott Sheldon / April 10, 2022

If you are just starting in life and trying to get your footprint in the real estate climate; the information in this post is for you. Everyone must start somewhere and buy that first home. That first home is always the big one it is by far the hardest and most emotional. It can also…

Buying a piece of land and put a home on it

By Scott Sheldon / February 20, 2022

People are always trying to find additional ways to reduce their costs when buying a home. Maybe that means buying a lower price point or changing to a condominium instead of a single-family house. Another segment of the market in most people’s home search journey considers the possibility of buying a piece of land and…