In the simplest terms, home equity is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and your home’s current market value. If you owe $100,000 on your mortgage and your home is worth $400,000, then you have 75% home equity. Conversely, if you have a remaining mortgage balance of $300,000 on your $400,000 house, you have 25% home equity.
The way FICO scores are calculated is changing this summer, and the move could make it tougher for some Americans to get approved for a mortgage, The Wall Street Journal reports. Fair Isaac Corporation, more commonly known as FICO, will soon start more harshly penalizing the scores of consumers who have rising debt levels or who fall [...]
