The equity you have in your home is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and how much your home is worth. Home equity lines of credit let you access the value of your equity. Home equity loans are secured by your home; if you default on a home equity loan the lender could foreclose and sell your property.

There are many reasons people tap the equity in their homes, some better than others. Here are three smart reasons for borrowing against the equity in your home.

Pay Off High Interest Credit Cards

The interest a mortgage lender charges for a home equity loan is much less than you will pay for credit cards. Consolidating your credit card debt with a home equity loan will save you money in interest and make your finances easier to manage. Your monthly payment will be much less as well, and this should leave you more money in you budget. Once you have paid off the credit cards you should close the accounts so you will not waste the equity you have spent.

Pay for Your Child’s College Tuition

College tuition is reaching astronomical highs, even at State schools. Using home equity will give you better interest rates and terms than other types of loans. This is a much better solution than dipping into your retirement account.

Improve Your home

Using the equity in your home for repairs or renovations is a smart use of the money. These improvements will increase the value of your home. Renovating your bathroom, kitchen, or family room are all excellent uses of your home equity loan.

The money you borrow against your home represents all the work you have put into your home. Don’t squander that value away.

Louie Latour has twenty years of experience in the mortgage industry as a mortgage broker. He is the owner of Mortgage Refinance Advisor, a mortgage resource site devoted to saving homeowners money with a free guidebook “Five Things You Need to Know Before Refinancing a Mortgage.” http://www.refiadvisor.com