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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

Image of two people with their backs facing one another
It’s not quite as simple as who gets the house. Here’s why.
Mother and child in nursery
Home equity borrowers can deduct interest, but only if they meet these requirements.
What is a second mortgage, and how does it work?
It can have huge benefits — if you do it right.
Two architects renovating an apartment
Don’t confuse these soundalikes. They’re quite different.
Two people hugging joyfully
Know the differences between these debt products before you put your home on the line.
Livingroom with midcentury modern furniture
It’s a hybrid product that can combine the best of both borrowing worlds.
An American flag flies from the open porch and gardens surround a small single family home on a Spring afternoon on Cape Cod on the Massachusetts coast.
Depending on the type of refinance, the amount you owe could deplete the amount you own.
Couple sits in new home with moving boxes
If you’re looking to borrow money, you’re probably benefiting from this law.
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