{"id":23031,"date":"2026-02-18T16:30:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/?p=23031"},"modified":"2026-02-21T16:33:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T23:33:47","slug":"four-ways-your-home-equity-can-work-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/18\/four-ways-your-home-equity-can-work-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Ways Your Home Equity Can Work for You"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY ANNA & MICHELLE<\/em><\/p>\n

You may have heard homeowners today have a lot of equity built up. But what does that really mean? Let\u2019s break it down.
\nBecause your equity isn\u2019t just a number, it\u2019s a powerful asset that can help you take your next big step in life.<\/p>\n

How Much Equity Does the Typical Homeowner Have?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it works. As you pay down your loan and home prices rise through the years, the share of your home that you own free and clear grows. That\u2019s your equity.<\/p>\n

And according to data from the Census and ATTOM, two-thirds of homeowners have a substantial amount of it today.
\n39% own their home outright without owing anything on it. And another 27% have at least 50% equity in their homes (see chart):<\/p>\n

\"\"That\u2019s a big deal. And just in case you\u2019re wondering how that translates into real dollars, Cotality says the typical homeowner has almost $300k in equity today. That\u2019s six figures.<\/p>\n

And whether you have that much, even more, or a bit less, here are a few examples of how you can use it.<\/p>\n

Ways You Could Use Your Home Equity<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Move Into a Home That Better Fits Your Life<\/strong>
\nYour needs change over time. Maybe your home is starting to feel cramped, or maybe you have more space than you need now that your adult children have moved out. Either way, you can use your equity as a down payment on a home that\u2019s a better fit for what you need now and going forward. You may even have enough equity to buy your next house in cash.
\n2. Upgrade Your Current Home<\/strong>
\nAnd if you\u2019re not ready to move just yet, you could reinvest it in your current home instead. Renovations like a kitchen refresh or updated bathrooms could add value when it\u2019s time to sell down the line. Just be sure to talk to a real estate agent before you tackle your project list, so you can prioritize updates that\u2019ll give you the biggest return later on.
\n3. Fund a Major Life Goal<\/strong>
\nEquity can also help fund your life goals \u2013 whether it\u2019s starting a business, saving for retirement, covering education costs, or helping someone you love. Some homeowners are even passing down some of that wealth to help fund a loved one\u2019s down payment on a home.
\n4. Avoid Foreclosure in Tough Times<\/strong>
\nIf you\u2019re struggling with payments, your equity can also be a lifeline. Many homeowners who hit financial hardships can sell their homes and walk away with money in their pockets instead of facing foreclosure. If that\u2019s something on your mind, talk to us about your options and how your equity can help.<\/p>\n

Your Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in using your equity for one of the reasons above, here\u2019s what to do:<\/strong>
\nStep 1:<\/strong> Ask us for a personalized equity assessment on your home.
\nStep 2:<\/strong> Meet with a financial advisor if you\u2019re interested in using that equity.
\nBecause when it comes to tapping into this resource, there are a few things you\u2019ll want to keep in mind \u2013 like making sure you still have a good loan-to-value ratio (LTV) even if you use some of your equity.<\/p>\n

That means, as a general rule of thumb, you want to maintain at least 20% equity in your home as a financial cushion \u2013 something many homeowners didn\u2019t know back in the crash of 2008.<\/p>\n

The good news is, according to the Intercontinental Exchange, most of today\u2019s equity meets that guideline:
\n\u201cAs of Q4, mortgage holders have $17.3T in home equity, including $11.2T in tappable equity \u2012 accessible via cash-out refinances or home equity lines while maintaining 20% equity in the property . . . \u201d<\/p>\n

Bottom Line<\/strong>
\nYour home equity is one of the biggest financial assets you have. Whether you\u2019re thinking about moving, remodeling, or working toward a big goal, it\u2019s worth exploring your options. Reach out to a financial advisor to learn more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY ANNA & MICHELLE You may have heard homeowners today have a lot of equity built up. But what does that really mean? Let\u2019s break it down. Because your equity isn\u2019t just a number, it\u2019s a powerful asset that can help you take your next big step in life. How Much Equity Does the Typical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":479,"featured_media":23033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","_pvb_checkbox_block_on_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,38],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23031","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-better-homeowners-news","8":"category-sponsored"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/479"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23031"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23034,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23031\/revisions\/23034"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodriverweekly.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}