Knowing how to calculate home equity gives homeowners a way to understand their home’s worth — and potentially liquidate it for their needs or wants. To calculate your home equity, take your home’s ...

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 ...

Matt Richardson is the senior managing editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com. He writes and edits content about personal finance ranging from savings to investing to insurance.