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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.
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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

Man works on home renovation while dog watches.
Should you use your home to enhance your home? It’s tricky, so learn before you leap.
family in their kitchen
Yes, you get charged for getting out of debt early. Here’s why.
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A HELOC works like a big credit card — one that uses your home as collateral for cash you borrow.
A green house on a sunny day
It’s the portion of your home you own outright. Its uses are almost endless.
HELOC is not interest only forever
It lets you borrow money and make minimal monthly repayments for a while. But it could shock you at the end.
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.
Modern bedroom
Knowing the differences among equity loans will help you make the right choice.
Illustrated collage featuring blocks that say: "For rent"
If you have a sufficient ownership stake in it — yes. But it might not be your best move.
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