Consumers Maxing Out their Home Equity

It's a sign of the times: Economic data indicates that homeowners may be padding their savings accounts with money borrowed from their home equity lines of credit (HELOC).

New Angle on Home Equity Loans

A new service allows homeowners to cash out their equity without incurring interest charges and loan repayments.

HELOC Cancellation: Are You at Risk?

HELOC lenders are now realizing that they were overly enthusiastic about approving big credit lines for borrowers. As they try to reduce their risk exposure, some homeowners are getting a surprise notification that their HELOC has been cancelled.

Advertising and the Home Equity Fiasco

In the 1980s, financial companies set out to change the perception of second mortgages among the American public. Unfortunately, no one predicted just how expensive that endeavor would ultimately be.

Home Equity: Thawing out a Frozen HELOC

Hundreds of thousands of consumers are getting notices from their banks that their home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) have been frozen. This is causing a wave of credit crunch panic. There are options for responding to a HELOC freeze, but the lender still wields most of the power.

Home Equity FAQ

Find the answers to all your questions about home equity and home equity debt.

Home Equity Conversion Mortgages

The FHA's home equity conversion mortgage program (HECM) is designed to let older homeowners convert equity into cash without selling their homes. HECM loans are a type of reverse mortgage, and are made by banks, credit unions, and other typical mortgage lenders.

HELOCs: Accentuate the Positive

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) can give you the financial flexibility you need-and you might even feel like singing about it.

Pay Off Debt with a Home Equity Loan

The consumer is the true engine of our economy. The more people buy, the better our capitalist system works. While consumerism works well on a macro level, sometimes people over-extend themselves on the micro-level and accumulate debt. If you need to get yourself out of the red, consider using a home equity loan.

Home Equity Debt: Take the Good with the Bad

Forrest Gump once noted that life is like a box of chocolates-you never know what you're going to get. A home equity mortgage is a little different. You know that there are going to be pros and cons. Consider them all before you close on a loan.