Welcome
Welcome to the EquityFAQ Blog
Plain-English home equity guides, rate updates, and real-world scenarios — published here first, then sent to SMS subscribers.
Featured
HELOC, Home Equity Loan, or Cash-Out Refi? A Homeowner's Decision Guide
Three ways to tap your home's equity, compared the way a friend in the business would actually explain them — with real numbers, tradeoffs, and when each one makes sense.
Risk
What Happens If You Can't Pay Your HELOC? The Question Nobody Wants to Ask
Missing a HELOC payment doesn't mean instant foreclosure, but the timeline is shorter than most people think. Here's what actually happens, step by step, and how to get ahead of it.
Strategy
5 Smart (and 3 Dumb) Ways to Use Your Home Equity
Your house isn't a piggy bank — but it isn't a museum piece either. Here's when tapping equity actually pays off, and the three scenarios that almost always end in regret.
HELOC
The Real Cost of a HELOC When Rates Rise (and How to Stress-Test Yours)
HELOC rates float with the Fed. Here's a simple stress test that shows what your payment actually looks like if Prime climbs two or three points — before you sign, not after.
LTV
How Much Can You Actually Borrow Against Your Home? A Walkthrough with Real Numbers
Lenders say 80-85% CLTV. Here's what that actually means in dollars, with a working example you can plug your own numbers into in about two minutes.