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…

The catch with today’s low-interest-rate environment

By Scott Sheldon / October 2, 2020

If you’re getting a mortgage or thinking about getting any type of mortgage loan financing and you’re looking at interest rates for 30-year mortgages in the mid to s for example here’s what you need to know… Most mortgage offerings in the marketplace today at or sub 3% come with varying rates fees and in…

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…

Types of mortgages that may cost more

By Scott Sheldon / September 9, 2020

It’s no surprise 30-year mortgage rates today are under 3% with good credit, good equity, and good income. What you might not know is that not all loan situations are considered equal. Here are the several types of financing situations that might end up costing you more money… Please know your neighbor down the street…

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…