Home is where the “equity” is. And the more you have of it, the better. But what is home equity, what is a home equity loan, and how do you make the most of these helpful resources?
What is Home Equity?
Simply put, home equity is your home’s current market value, minus the amount you owe on a mortgage.
For example, if your house is worth $200,000 (the current market value), and you owe $70,000 on your mortgage, your home equity is $130,000. When the value of your home increases, or the amount you owe on your home decreases, your home equity increases. Yay! If the value of your home decreases, or you take out an additional mortgage, your home equity decreases. Yikes!
What is Negative Home Equity?
You DON’T want the amount you owe on your mortgage to surpass the current market value of your home. This is referred to as negative equity or an upside-down/underwater mortgage.
Homes with negative equity have a high chance of going into foreclosure -- when the lender seizes the home...