General
Q: How much does the online search cost?
A: Our content is and has always been free. You can help ensure that our services remain free by telling lenders that you found them through Scotsman Guide when calling them.
Search/Results
Q: I'm not getting any results back -- what is wrong? The company names are not showing up?
A: If you are getting the following msg it means that there are no results that match all the search criteria: 'Your search resulted in: No programs found matching ALL search criteria.'
Try expanding your search using the Basic Search Criteria (i.e. top section) only -- the fewer criteria you use, the more companies/programs you will get in the results. A good strategy is to start broad (by using the Basic Search only) and then filter your results down by adding 1 or 2 of the Advanced Search Criteria. If you want to see a list of all the lenders listed in a particular search, look at the 'Matrixes' section.
Q: Which matrix or search engine should I use to find a wholesale lender?
A: The first step is to figure out which set of searches to use -- here are our definitions for each category of search:
Prime: The Prime search contains wholesale lenders that offer loans exceeding FNMA/FHLMC loan limits, but generally use traditional conforming credit guidelines. Minimum FICO scores would be 620 and greater and very few mortgage lates would be allowed (zero or one within 12 months).
The Prime search has two different searches: 1st Mortgages and Niches. The 1st Mortgages list detailed program information whereas the Niches list which companies will do a particular type of loan (ususally with more unusual loan or property characteristics).
FHA/VA/Government: The FHA/VA/Govt search contains loans sponsored or backed by a government agency, excluding government-sponsored enterprises now under conservatorship. Examples include: Federal Housing Administration (FHA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing loans.
Hard Money: The Hard Money search contains lenders that generally give more consideration to the value of the property/collateral rather than to credit history. LTVs are usually less than 65 percent and credit scores, if required, are less than 500. They specialize in unique, hard-to-find loans. Hard Money lenders are sometimes referred to as Private, Equity or Portfolio lenders.
Specialty: We also have searches for Construction and Warehouse lines, if you are looking for those specific loan products.
Commercial: Any properties with 5+ units or that are income-generating properties are listed in one of the Commercial searches. We have Commercial searches for Commercial (general), Multifamily, Hard Money and Construction.
Q: Where can I get a list of all the advertisers in a particular search? Do you have better print-optimized version of the results?
A: The matrixes that are in the print version of our magazine contain all the advertisers in a particular search and are available in PDF format online. The matrixes can be found here.
Q: Where can I find a definition of your Documentation types?
A: There are two ways to do this:
1) On the input screen, click on the link 'Explain Document Types'.
2) On the results page, click on the link 'Doc Type' either at the top of the column or at the bottom of the page.
Q: The 'Documentation Type' box is not appearing. Why?
A: You may have pop-ups blocked on your browser. Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the link at the same time. The window may also be already open, but hidden behind another application (check all open browser windows to see if this is the case).
Q: Why is the search taking so long?
A: Because of the large amount of data being transferred (about 2 MB in the Nonprime searches), search results may take a few minutes to display. This will also depend on the speed of your Internet connection, the processing power of your computer, etc.
Q: On the Nonprime searches, my browser hangs when I try and hide and/or unhide columns. Why?
A: Because of the amount of data in the Nonprime Searches, the Hide/Unhide function may take a few minutes to work. Again, this will depend on the speed of your Internet connection, the processing power of your computer and other factors.
Q: Where can I find advertiser contact information and Web sites?
A: There are two ways:
1) Click on a lender's name when it appears in a search
2) Go to Residential Directories --> Wholesale Lender Directory and look up the lender's name alphabetically. You can also click here.
Q: How do I save a search?
A: Click on the link 'Bookmark Search Parameters' on the search results page. You should then type in a name for the search, and it will be saved as a link in your Favorites. When you return to the link, it will show the input screen populated with your search parameters and you just need to click the 'Submit' button -- this way you will be sure to get the most-recently updated results using the same search parameters.
Q: What month is being searched in the data?
A: The searches are always updated in conjunction with our print publication. We update the data for the following month on the last day of each month (for example, we updated the site with February data on January 31st).
Formatting/Printing
Q: When printing, the phone number and/or some of the matrix information is cut-off -- how can I fix this?
A: There are several things you can do:
1) Try setting your print settings to Landscape and setting your left/right margins to the lowest number possible (usually .2) -- this will maximize the print area on the page
2) Try hiding some columns when you print. The phone number is the farthest column to the right, so if you hide enough columns to make the entire matrix display on the page, then the phone number should print as well.
3) Alternatively, you can also print the PDF version of the matrixes (which will print all the advertisers in a search) by clicking here.
Q: The gridlines are not showing up when I print. How do I fix this?
A: In Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu, select 'Internet Options' and then select the 'Advanced' tab.
Scroll down to near the bottom of the list under Printers, and check 'Print background colors and images'. Click 'OK' to complete this step.
Q: I can't see the column headings once I scroll down the page. How do I know what the numbers mean?
A: Put your cursor over the data you are looking at and a message will appear that describes the contents of the column. Note: the cursor needs to be pointed at the actual data (i.e., not the white space in the cell).
Miscellaneous
Q: There is incorrect data in the search results. Where does your data come from?
A: The information contained in Scotsman Guide matrixes is verified or updated monthly by each of the lenders listed. We make every attempt to ensure the quality of our matrix data on a regular basis. Nonetheless, because of the volume of information reported, occasional errors may occur. Due to the dynamic nature of the mortgage industry and the lead time required to produce the results, loan product terms and availability may not reflect the latest changes. Please contact lenders directly for the most recent program changes and details. If there are data that you believe are inaccurate or misrepresented in the matrix, please contact SearchFeedback@scotsmanguide.com. Please include the program information that you believe to be incorrect so that we can follow up with the lender.
Q: Who do I contact with questions or feedback on the search engines?
A: Email SearchFeedback@scotsmanguide.com. This can also be done by clicking on the 'Search Feedback' link on the results page.
