The Mortgage Files

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

All about FHA Loans for 2020 and beyond

By Scott Sheldon / July 3, 2020

One of the most popular mortgage loan programs continues to be popular especially amongst first time home buyers is the FHA loan. FHA Loans can help bridge the gap between renting and owning an offer numerous benefits. It is prudent as an informed consumer to know the mechanics of how FHA Loans work and all…

What you need to know if you are seeking an FHA mortgage with student loans

By Scott Sheldon / June 18, 2020

If you’re getting mortgage financing to purchase or refinance a house here is the number one thing that you’re going to want to avoid if you have a student loan. FHA mortgages and student loans do not mix here’s why… The Federal Housing Administration specifically requires the lender to use the highest possible amortizing payment…

Why interest rates will probably not get any lower

By Scott Sheldon / June 11, 2020

Interest rates are a big driver of the mortgage market. People purchasing houses and refinancing houses are taking advantage of today’s historically low rates. Here are some fundamentals you should be aware of when it comes to interest rates and what the market may or may not do going forward… First things first what drives…

How energy independence home improvement loans may affect your mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / May 28, 2020

If you’re going to be doing a refinance of your house and you have an energy Independence program that’s built into your real estate taxes- here is what you need to know. Originally, these loans were required to be paid off because most of these programs are built into the property taxes of your mortgage,…

How to get a mortgage when your self employed income is tricky

By Scott Sheldon / May 20, 2020

Not always, but traditionally, self-employed borrowers have a hard time securing mortgage loan financing. If you are filing self-employed and you are trying to get qualified for mortgage financing here are some solid tips to keep in mind… Most mortgage lenders are going to require you to provide 2 years of federal tax returns. They…

Minimum credit scores changing on mortgage programs due to Coronavirus

By Scott Sheldon / May 12, 2020

If you are in the market for mortgage loan financing or will be in 2020 this information could be very pertinent to your situation. Here is what you need to know about what is going on right now and likely will happen throughout the rest of this year… The Coronavirus pandemic is not only a…

How the new PPP Loan may adversely affect your mortgage

By Scott Sheldon / May 11, 2020

If you’re looking for mortgage loan financing and you have taking out or considering the new federal paycheck Protection Program mortgage loan here’s some things you need to know… Residential Mortgage financing does require a certain amount of monthly income and having expenses that are low enough to be in alignment with a new proposed…

Is is a second mortgage making your refinance harder? This tip may help…

By Scott Sheldon / May 7, 2020

Mortgage lenders sometimes take an overly gun shy approach to how a mortgage loan is originated. One such example of this is if you have a first and a second mortgage on your home. Let us say your goal is to refinance and to not get any money out but just combine the first and…