As a result, older homeowners may find that their top options are either a home equity loan or a reverse mortgage. While both ...

A home equity loan is also known as a second mortgage. Discover how this consumer loan can allow you to borrow against the ...

Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) allow homeowners to tap into the value of their homes. A home ...

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With over four years of experience writing in the housing market space, Robin Rothstein demystifies mortgage and loan concepts, helping first-time homebuyers and homeowners make informed decisions as ...

There are several ways to use the value of your home to access cash. Two main ones are a cash-out refinance mortgage and a home equity line of credit, or HELOC. Both options leverage your home equity, ...

If you put less than 20% down on your home, you probably lack sufficient equity to obtain a home equity line of credit immediately after purchase. It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare: You move into ...

NerdWallet's mortgage content, including articles, reviews and recommendations, is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in home lending. Their work has appeared in The Associated ...

With Americans collectively sitting on record-high $11.6 trillion in tappable home equity as of August 2025, which explains why so many are turning to home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) to access ...

A first-lien HELOC is a home equity line of credit that holds the primary lien position on a property, meaning it takes precedence over any other liens or mortgages in the event of foreclosure. If ...

The holiday season usually means Americans are running up their credit card debt. Come January, lenders are typically fielding a plethora of inquiries for home equity lines of credit for people ...

Getting approved for a HELOC or home equity loan isn’t easy, with nearly half of applications denied. Poor credit, a high debt-to-income ratio or a large outstanding mortgage balance may contribute to ...