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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

Illustrated collage featuring a man removing a damaged roof
Use your home to fix your home: a smart move, if you bear the risks in mind.
Mother helping daughter move boxes into car for college
Could be an A+ idea, if you consider all the pros and cons first.
Modern Real Estate Front Exterior Blue and White Color Scheme with landscaping
Yes, you can get financing, even if you’re not the most creditworthy candidate.
family in their kitchen
Yes, you get charged for getting out of debt early. Here’s why.
Illustrated collage featuring blocks that say: "For rent"
If you have a sufficient ownership stake in it — yes. But it may not be the best move.
HELOC is not interest only forever
It lets you make minimal monthly repayments for a while. But it could shock you at the end.
Illustrated collage featuring a house with money pouring from the front door
For one thing, you could lose your home if things go south.
Illustrated collage featuring a mailbox with money falling out
Your home isn’t a piggy bank, but there are wise ways to tap your ownership stake for cash.
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