While cash-strapped homeowners sometimes struggle to make ends meet, our real estate has seemingly morphed into the local bank We can tap into our home equity for everything from cars to vacations to college funds

With the slowing housing market, rising interest rates and lenders tightening the reins on their mortgage qualification requirements, it's extremely important to get the best mortgage at a good interest rate Keep reading for four tips you can use to get the best mortgage in today's residential real estate market

In this article, we'll cover the benefits and disadvantages of home equity loans, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and personal loans Whether you're looking for funds to finance a major expense or simply pay down consumer debt, this article can help you decide what type of financing is best for you

Electricity and water bills can add up fast, especially when you're doing laundry for what feels like an army Keep reading for 10 great laundry tips that will help you cut your monthly energy bills

Approximately one half of all new home buyers check mortgage rate quotes online Most mortgage providers offer calculators that allow you to calculate your monthly payment once you input your principal, interest rate and terms

When you buy a home, whether it's a single-family house, townhouse, co-op or condominium, you're probably going to need a mortgage For first-time buyers who may not have a lot of down payment cash to deposit, getting the right mortgage is absolutely essential

Most people don't realize it, but you typically pay more for your mortgage loan than you do for the house In fact, quite a bit more

Despite what many fly-by-night credit repair companies tell you, you need good credit to get a good mortgage interest rate Good credit means you pay back what you've borrowed and you do so on time

A HELOC (home equity line of credit) works somewhat similar to a credit card, but it is secured and protected by the equity in your home - equity equals the market value of your home minus the balance owed on your mortgage Whatever the size of your home equity credit line, you pay interest only on the amount you use

The chaos in the subprime-mortgage market means tighter standards for everyone While prospective home buyers with perfect credit records won't feel the pinch as much, first-time home buyers or borrowers with less-than-perfect credit are going to need help shopping for that first mortgage