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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

Your payments could go up drastically once the draw period ends. Here’s how to cope.
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.
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A HELOC works like a big credit card — one that uses your home as collateral for cash you borrow.
Modern bedroom
Knowing the differences among equity loans will help you make the right choice.
aerial view of landscape
If paying cash or obtaining a land loan isn’t an option, you might be able to use a second mortgage to buy land.
Grandfather Playing Ball with His Son and Grandchildren.
Both mean ready money — but their pros and cons vary quite a bit.
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.
Senior agent talking to a couple in a meeting in an office.
They’re courting new borrowers with innovative features and looser criteria.
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