Building Equity

There are a lot of different ways that you can invest your money, and sometimes it can be tricky trying to figure out exactly the best way to invest. The higher the risk the higher the reward usually. There is another way to invest in yourself and that is by building home equity. Home equity is represented by the value of the home minus what is still owed on the loan. So, if you own a home that is worth $500,000 and you have paid off $400,000 then you have built up $400,000 worth of equity in the home. Here are a few ways to build up equity in your home:

Remodel and Update

A very fun way to build equity in your home is by completing a remodel or updating your home. There are parts of your home that can really add value. One such part of the home is the kitchen. If you remodel or update your kitchen you can see a tremendous return on that investment. It may cost you a couple thousand dollars to remodel the kitchen, but you may get twice out of the remodel what you put into it. Other parts of the house that can increase the value of the home are bathrooms, garages, and shops. 

Pay Down The Loan

A very simple and great way to build equity in your home is to pay down the loan. You may have a required payment of $1,000 a month, but each dollar that you put toward your house is going to go to the mortgage or the interest. You do not want to be paying a lot in interest, so the faster you pay off the house the better. If you pay off the house as fast as you can you will be building the equity and paying on the principle of the loan instead of the interest. 

Neighborhood

It can sometimes be very difficult to talk to your neighbors about money, but rest assured they want to build equity just like you do. So, you may want to approach them about improving the neighborhood. The value of each home in the area will go up if the neighborhood is nicer and safer. Simple things such as landscaping can really improve the image of the neighborhood and increase the equity in your home. Investing in your home is a direct investment in your own future. 

Contact a company like General Electric Credit Union for more information and assistance. 


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