{"id":78926,"date":"2024-07-11T01:52:19","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T08:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/financer.com\/?post_type=wiki&p=78926"},"modified":"2024-07-28T07:19:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-28T14:19:54","slug":"what-is-a-home-equity-line-of-credit","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/financer.com\/loans\/articles\/what-is-a-heloc-or-home-equity-line-of-credit\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a HELOC, or Home Equity Line of Credit"},"content":{"rendered":"
A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a revolving credit that allows homeowners to borrow against the equity they have built up in their homes.<\/p>\n
Equity is the difference between the current market value of your home and the outstanding balance on your mortgage.\u00a0For example, if your home is worth $500,000 and you owe $300,000 on your mortgage, you have $200,000 in equity.<\/p>\n
HELOCs function similarly to credit cards<\/a>, providing a predetermined credit limit that you can draw from as needed. Unlike a traditional home equity loan<\/a>, which provides a lump sum payment, a HELOC allows you to borrow funds incrementally, only paying interest on the amount you actually use.<\/p>\n One of the most attractive features of a HELOC is its flexibility.<\/strong>\u00a0Funds can be used for a wide range of purposes, including:<\/p>\n Typically, HELOCs have two distinct phases:<\/p>\n During the draw period, which usually lasts 5-10 years,<\/strong> you can access funds up to your credit limit and are only required to make minimum payments, often covering only the interest.<\/p>\n In this phase, you can withdraw funds using methods such as:<\/p>\n\n
How Does a HELOC Work?<\/h2>\n
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