Home equity is the portion of your home that you’ve paid off — your stake in the property, as opposed to the lender’s. For many homeowners, this is their most valuable asset. And the best part is that it often increases without you having to do anything more than making your regular monthly mortgage payment.
So what is it exactly?
Equity is the portion of the home that you truly own and does not need to be repaid to any lender. In other words, it is the appraised value of your home minus any outstanding mortgage and loan balances. In most cases, home equity builds over time as you pay down mortgage balances or add value to your home.
How is it calculated?
Current Appraised Value – Mortgage Loan Balance = Home Equity
Subtract the amount you owe on your home loan/s from its appraised value to get how much equity you have in your home.
Example:
Appraised Value is $500,000 – $230,000 Loan Balance = $270,000 in equity
How do you use your home’s equity to make renovations?
A loan (second mortgage) allows you to borrow a certain amount for your renovation. The equity in your home is used as collateral, giving you free access to spend the money on your home project.
A HELOC is typically a variable-rate line of credit based on your equity, that allows you to borrow and repay repeatedly.
You may also have the ability to refinance, which allows you to turn your equity into cash – referred to as “cash-out” refinancing. This gives you access to the equity without selling your home.
Talk to a Loan Officer to learn more about your options.
