HOME EQUITY ARTICLES & ADVICE

Learn how you can shop smart for your next loan with in-depth information and insight on home equity.

Discover the secrets to low rates, choosing the right mortgage company, understanding your credit, new loan options, and more everything you need to get a great loan.

Mortgage Amortization and Your Home Equity
Understanding how mortgage terms impact home equity can help you select a mortgage loan.
December 28, 2007

A Home Equity Line of Credit Can Be Your Budgeting Tool
As homeowners pay down their mortgages, they can use a home equity line of credit as a budgeting tool.
December 28, 2007

Home Equity Success Checklist
A planning checklist can help you use your home equity mortgage effectively.
December 28, 2007

Is a Reverse Mortgage the Right Choice for You?
A reverse mortgage can supply cash from your home equity during retirement. How does a reverse mortgage work, and how can it work for you?
November 30, 2007

Minimizing the Cost of Kitchen Improvements
Your kitchen is cramped and you need more space. It's possible to increase space and efficiency without breaking the bank. A home equity line of credit can help.
November 23, 2007

Concerned About the Mortgage Market? Consider a Home Equity Line of Credit
Mortgage companies offer home equity lines of credit as a means of taking some uncertainty out of the future availability of credit.
November 21, 2007

Why Consolidate Debt with Home Equity?
Turn bad debt into good debt using home equity.
November 14, 2007

Mortgage Muscle: Use Your Home Equity Clout
The ability to borrow at mortgage rates is an advantage earned by people who accumulate home equity.
November 7, 2007

Need a Tax Write-off? Consolidate Your Debt with a Home Equity Loan and You Can Write off Your Interest This Year!
Do you know you can convert non-taxable credit card interest to interest that is tax deductible? Find out how a home equity loan or line of credit can help you avoid the tax man.
November 5, 2007

Mortgage Reality Check: Home Equity Loans are Still Alive and Well
Even in a real estate slump, home equity loans can remain a healthy source of liquidity.
October 29, 2007

What Real Estate Ups and Downs Mean to Home Equity Mortgage Shoppers
While falling home prices limit the amount of home equity available for borrowing, lower mortgage rates mean you can save on what you do borrow.
October 24, 2007

Rise in Mortgage Applications Signals Hope for Home Equity
A recent uptick in mortgage applications signals a couple of benefits for potential home equity borrowers.
October 19, 2007

Going Green: Home Equity Financing Can Help
Conserving energy and water is increasingly important as concerns about energy supplies and the environment grow. If you're considering home improvements, going green can help you save energy and money.
October 15, 2007

The Green Mortgage: Using Home-Improvement Loans in the Garden
Besides paying down your mortgage, improvements to home and garden can help build home equity in the long run.
October 1, 2007

Take Heart: Soft Housing Market Does Not Mean an End to Home Equity
Home equity is still a viable source of borrowing for most mortgage holders.
September 26, 2007

Escape from Mortgage Madness: Another Common Sense Rule
One way to avoid mortgage problems is to distinguish between spending and investment when using a home equity loan.
September 14, 2007

Escape from Mortgage Madness: A Common Sense Approach to Home Equity
A mortgage calculator can help homeowners use their home equity wisely.
September 12, 2007

Rising Mortgage Rates Send a Message to Home Equity Shoppers: Don't Delay!
Time may be of the essence for home equity borrowers, as rising mortgage rates have a double impact on these loans.
September 7, 2007

Fighting the Housing Slump Blues: Home Equity and Your Mortgage
For most mortgage holders, stalled home prices does not mean an end to home equity as a source of wealth.
September 5, 2007

Home Equity and Changing Real Estate Markets
Keeping track of home values in your area can provide information about changes in your property's value and equity. This can help you decide when and how much to borrow against your home equity.
August 27, 2007

Home-Equity Do's and Don'ts
Like any form of mortgage, a home equity loan can be valid a financial tool in the hands of an educated consumer.
July 20, 2007

Mortgage Methods: Turn Home Equity Into Energy Savings
Using a home equity mortgage to finance energy-efficient home improvements could pay off in energy bill savings.
July 18, 2007

Mortgage Manager: When to Use Home Equity to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
Check whether you can meet the discipline test before using a home equity mortgage to pay off credit card debt.
July 11, 2007

Home Equity Options Provide Financing for Remodeling
You've decided to update your kitchen, build an outdoor retreat, or create a master suite. Home equity financing provides financial flexibility tailored to your needs.
June 29, 2007

Home Equity Lines of Credit vs. Home Equity Loans
Do you like risk or do you prefer a set plan? The answer to this can determine if a home equity line of credit or a home equity loan is best for you.
June 22, 2007

Create Wealth through Your Home's Equity
Did you know your home's equity can be the key to great wealth? Read on and find out how you can make your home a cash generating cow!
June 15, 2007

Calculating the Cost of Home Equity Loans
Knowing the actual cost of home equity loans can help you select a financing option and decide how to use home equity financing to your best advantage.
June 13, 2007

Use Mortgage Calculators as a Debt-Management Tool
Mortgage calculators are not just for home purchases; they can also be used to compare your current debt burden with a home equity loan.
June 11, 2007

If Inflation Is Starting to Pop, It's Time to Act On Mortgage Decisions
Anyone considering a home equity mortgage should be watchful for whether recent inflation readings signal a trend toward higher mortgage rates.
May 30, 2007

Home Equity Loans: How They're Handled at Tax Time
A home equity line of credit is a financial move if you know how to play your hand when April 15 rolls around.
May 11, 2007

Home Equity Debt: The Slippery Slope
If you're considering a home equity loan or line of credit to consolidate, beware the omnipresent specter of home equity debt.
March 19, 2007

Securing a Low Home Equity Loan Rate on Your HELOC
If you're considering a HELOC for home improvements, here are some sensible tips on securing a low home equity rate.
March 14, 2007

Using Your Home Equity for Debt Consolidation
If you're struggling to pay your bills each month, you're not alone. Using home equity for debt consolidation can help you regain a manageable budget.
February 9, 2007

Repaying Your Home Equity Loan
If you've recently obtained a home equity loan, here are some ways to can pay back the money and continue building equity value.
January 26, 2007

Real Estate Markets Can Impact Your Home Equity
Downturns in regional real estate markets are cause for concern for homeowners. Even if you're not planning to sell your home, real estate markets can impact your ability to use your home equity.
January 24, 2007

Using the Equity in Your Home
If you're in the market for a line of credit, a home equity plan may be right for you.
January 22, 2007

Using Your Home Equity to Meet Short Term Needs
Recent reports advise against relying upon huge home equity cushions for financing retirement. Changing real estate markets may make short term uses of home equity more attractive.
November 22, 2006

The Costs of Obtaining a Home Equity Loan
Could the costs of obtaining a home equity loan outweigh the benefits? Here's how a home equity line of credit may affect your mortgage.
November 20, 2006

Manage Your Mortgage and HELOC Today
Learn how to keep your mortgage fees down, tap into your HELOC, and save thousands of dollars.
November 1, 2006

Home Equity Loans in Changing Real Estate Markets
Home equity loans can be useful tools when used wisely. Having a financial plan can help you get the most out of your home equity loan.
October 20, 2006

Mortgage Options: Do What Works for You
Rising interest rates and changing real estate markets can make it difficult to decide how or if you should get a home equity loan or consider refinancing your mortgage.
October 11, 2006

Utilizing Your Home Equity: The HELOC versus a Standard Loan
Before you decide to refinance, should you choose a HELOC or home equity loan to take advantage of your home equity?
September 27, 2006

Options for Repaying Your Home Equity Loan
Rising interest rates and fluctuating real estate markets can affect the value of your home, and your equity. What choices do you have when repaying your home equity loan.
August 09, 2006

Using Your Home Equity: Debt Consolidation for Homeowners
The last time you bought gas, you had heart palpitations. You used to pay off your credit cards each month, but now you carry balances. Cash-out refinancing or a home equity loan can help you pay off high-interest consumer debt.
May 24, 2006

Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You?
Many older Americans are turning to reverse mortgages to finance their retirement and other expense. Find out why.
May 22, 2006

Borrower Beware: Home Equity Loan Risks
Home equity loans can be a great source of money, as long as avoid the risks of a bad home equity loan.
April 24, 2006

Home Equity Loans: Choosing a Loan and a Repayment Option
You're thinking about taking out a home equity loan--you want some new toys for summer vacation, and you need to remodel your kitchen. Spending the proceeds of your home equity loan is no problem, but how will you repay it?
April 17, 2006

Is a Home Equity Loan Your Home Improvement Solution?
Tired of having the only home on the block with an outdated kitchen? Well, the right home equity mortgage just might be your answer.
April 7, 2006

The Home Equity Line of Credit: How It Works
A home equity line of credit is a loan that can give you some real financial power when you need cash.
February 24, 2006

How Can a Lower LTV Save You Money?
Home equity all starts with your loan-to-value ratio (LTV), which can influence the terms and conditions of your mortgage. Read on to learn more.
February 13, 2006

Get a Lower Interest Rate with Home Equity
Thinking about a new car? Your home equity can help you pay for it and save money too.
February 10, 2006

What is a Home Equity Loan?
A home equity loan may be just what you need to improve your financial situation.
February 10, 2006

Home Equity Loan Refinancing
As a homeowner, taking out a home equity loan can be an excellent way to establish credit and finance expenses such as education or home improvement expenditures.
January 27, 2006

Your Home Working for You: Debt Consolidation and Home Equity Loans
If you're in the market to make a large purchase maybe finance an education or refinance your mortgage you might want to consider debt consolidation to improve your credit scores. One route to debt consolidation is a home equity loan.
January 9, 2006

HELOC Loan: What is a Home Equity Line of Credit?
If you are a homeowner with a mortgage and you are seeking a way to finance a large expense, a home equity line of credit may be a great way to do it. A HELOC allows you to access a line of credit, using the built up equity in your home. With this line of credit,
December 5, 2005

Use Your Equity to Improve Your Equity
If you're looking to fund a worthwhile, costly project, a home equity line of credit may be the route for you.
November 3, 2005

Get Money out of Your Home - HELOC
Need cash for an event or to finance a big purchase? Learn how the value of your home can help you with a home equity line of credit.
October 27, 2005

Home Equity Line of Credit: How to Repay Yourself what you Paid Yourself
A home equity line of credit is a home loan made from your home loan borrowing against the equity in your home. It's money to do big things with remodels, large purchases, financing education but it's still a loan. It's a loan out of your home loan.
October 27, 2005