Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) allow homeowners to tap into the value of their homes. A home equity loan is a fixed-rate, lump-sum loan that allows homeowners to borrow up ...

Decide whether a home equity loan or line of credit is best suited for your financial goals ...

Refinancing can be a valuable way for homeowners to borrow home equity, but it should be avoided in 2026. Here's why.

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 ...

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. But it isn't risk-free, either. Home equity loans leverage the home in ...

How Does an Equity Line of Credit Work? An equity line of credit is a type of revolving credit that allows homeowners to borrow against the equity in their home. Homeowners can use this credit to ...

Caroline Basile is Forbes Advisor’s student loans and mortgages deputy editor. With experience in both the mortgage industry and as a journalist, she was previously an editor with HousingWire, where ...

Miranda Marquit is a staff senior personal finance editor for Buy Side. Staff Personal Finance Editor, Buy Side Valerie Morris is a staff editor at Buy Side and a personal finance expert. A home ...

The average U.S. mortgage holder has more than $300,000 in home equity, a figure that’s up significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as national equity levels now stand at $17.5 trillion.