Money WondersPlay

Real EstateHome Equity

Down Payments and Equity

The part of the house that's really yours

The day you get the keys, most of the house belongs to the lender. How much of it is actually yours?

You'll find out

  • What equity really is
  • The three ways your slice grows
  • How old first-time buyers are now

Why it matters

Equity is the part of a home that's really an owner's wealth. It grows in three ways, and it can shrink too.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 114 · Zone 13

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 109HousingRent or Own: What You Pay ForBoth cost money you never get back
  2. 110MortgagesHow a Mortgage WorksA loan to buy a home, paid over decades
  3. 111MortgagesThe 30-Year Mortgage Is RareFew countries lock a home loan's rate for 30 years
  4. 112MortgagesInterest Comes FirstEarly payments are mostly interest
  5. 113MortgagesWhat a Home Really CostsThe price tag versus everything you pay
  6. 115HousingRenting Is Throwing Money AwayOwners have money they never get back too
  7. 116OwnershipThe Landlord's GameLizzie Magie invented the game that became Monopoly, to show how owning land pulls in everyone's rent, and was paid $500
  8. 117Rental PropertyGetting Paid by a BuildingHow rental income works