Major remodeling projects can add to your home’s value, but in recent years, as the economy tanked, many homeowners cut back on remodeling expenses. Some home improvement forecasters, such as the folks over at the Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, predict an upswing in projects this Spring, but people are still concerned about getting the most value from their remodeling bucks.

So if you are trying to decide which projects have the best return on investment, Remodeling Magazine has a list of projects it considers “midrange” in cost. According to them, the top home renovations in 2010-2011 that will add to your home’a value, include:

Major Kitchen Remodel

If you are tired of your current kitchen, you can do some hard work and have it remodeled. Remodeling Magazine estimates that a major remodel, on average, costs $58,367. You can see an increase in the resale value of your home by …

Are you drowning in debt? Do you need to make home improvements but can’t afford them? Are you looking to improve your future by going to college or need to buy a car so you can get to work? All of these reasons are valid ones to consider taking out a home equity loan.

How Home Equity Loans Help You with Your Personal Finances

Home equity is determined by how much your house is worth and how much you owe on it. Therefore, if your house is worth much more than what you owe on it, you have positive home equity to use as collateral to take out a home equity loan.

Let’s say you have the difference between your home’s worth and how much you owe is $50,000. This means that you have that much to borrow against your home. The home equity loan you receive is …

Determining the equity in your home is a simple calculation that every home owner should know.