Skip to Main Content

Home Equity

Find out what home equity is and how to use it, plus news, advice and tools on home equity loans and HELOCs.

Home equity basics

A green house on a sunny day
It’s the portion of your home you own outright. Its uses are almost endless.
Couple sit in living room discuss receipts, control family budget, calculate household bills to pay
How to estimate your ownership stake, and how much of it you can borrow.
House with solar panels
Everything you need to know about HELOC and home equity loan requirements in 2024.

Home equity tools & resources

Bankrate's suite of tools and articles are designed to help you effortlessly learn about your home equity, connect with reputable lenders, compare offers for HELOCs and home equity loans, and more.

The latest

Senior agent talking to a couple in a meeting in an office.
They’re courting new borrowers with innovative features and looser criteria.
How to get equity out of the house you’ve paid off
Sometimes, it’s even easier than if you still had a mortgage. But there are caveats.
A mom with her children outside
Some key facts and figures everyone who has a house should know.
Illustrated collage of a house shape made of money
Your lender could cap, cut or even close your credit line. Here’s what to expect and how to prepare.
Couple calculating bills at home using tablet and calculator
Some ways your home can cushion you when unexpected expenses arise.
Illustrated collage featuring tools and a ladder
Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride shares his take on what will happen to home equity rates in 2024.
Even at higher rates, a HELOC is worth considering over other types of financing.
Aerial photography of suburbs, NY
Why is tapping your homeownership stake for cash so tempting right now?
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
Usa Today
New York Times
Cnn
Bloomberg
Abc