Mary Beth Eastman is a contributor to Buy Side and finance expert, specializing in loans, mortgages and insurance. Staff Personal Finance Editor, Buy Side Valerie Morris is a staff editor at Buy Side ...

HELOCs, or home equity lines of credit, give homeowners a way to leverage the growing value of their house for anything from renovations to college tuition — and enjoy 10 years of interest-only ...

Home equity is the portion of a house that the homeowner holds outright — the difference between the house's value and the total amount they owe on the home. As their equity increases, homeowners can ...