If you are wanting to get a home equity loan, rates are still low enough that you may want to make use of that equity in your home. Do you need some ideas on what you could do to multiply your equity or make some extra money off of the capital that could be available to you?

Here are some suggestions of ways to put the equity to good use when you go to take out a home equity or cash out refinance loan.

1. Do a home improvement that will increase the equity in your home more than the cost of doing the improvement. As an example, I have heard rumors that adding a deck to a home, because of the amount it increases the homes resale value, can add up to 4 times the cost of actually installing the deck.

2. If you have a low interest rate on your home, invest your equity in a low risk investment that has a much higher return on your money.

3. Buy an existing business or start a new business with the equity capital in your home. If you can start a low risk business, take the opportunity to let your equity work for you.

4. Use the equity as a down payment on an investment property or a rental.

5. Use it to consolidate high interest debt and possibly save yourself hundreds of dollars a month to put toward something else.

6. Use it to finance your education and increase your earning power.

7. If you live in an area zoned for this, you could finish a basement or area of the house to rent out. You could create a separate living space or apartment on your property.

Just be careful to not do anything risky with the equity in your home. If you can get a low enough rate, it may be worth taking that money and investing it somewhere else.

Here are our top picks for mortgage lenders who do home equity loans:

For a home equity loan for up to 125% of the value of your home, we recommend:

Home Equity Loan Companies Online:
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