Best Home Equity Solutions
There are a couple of ways to tap into your home’s equity—through a HELOC, or a Home Equity Agreement (HEA) and we've reviewed the top options to help you choose the best one for your financial goals.
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Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
HELOCs are a product that gives you access to a credit line, which you can withdraw from as needed (much like a credit card). These typically come with variable interest rates, which means your rate can increase or decrease over time.
Best Overall HELOC
- Minimum 700+ credit score required
- $11+ billion in equity unlocked
- Funding in as little as 5 days
- Borrow $15,000 to $700,000
- Flexible fixed-rate terms
- Excellent (3,200+ Trustpilot customers)
- Minimum 700+ credit score required
- $11+ billion in equity unlocked
- Funding in as little as 5 days
- Borrow $15,000 to $700,000
- Flexible fixed-rate terms
- Excellent (3,200+ Trustpilot customers)
Minimum Credit of 700 Required
- Lowest rate guarantee
- Apply 100% online
- Funding in as few as 3 days after signing
- Borrow $5,000 to $250,000
- Refinance home equity loans with no fees
- Excellent (4,900+ Trustpilot customers)
- Lowest rate guarantee
- Apply 100% online
- Funding in as few as 3 days after signing
- Borrow $5,000 to $250,000
- Refinance home equity loans with no fees
- Excellent (4,900+ Trustpilot customers)
Great for Comparison Shopping
- Compare multiple HELOC offers in minutes
- No impact on credit to view rates
- Flexible terms from top lenders
- Fast, online application process
- Borrow up to 85% of your home’s value
- Excellent (14,900+ Trustpilot customers)
- Compare multiple HELOC offers in minutes
- No impact on credit to view rates
- Flexible terms from top lenders
- Fast, online application process
- Borrow up to 85% of your home’s value
- Excellent (14,900+ Trustpilot customers)
No Appraisal Required for Most
- Close in as fast as 5 days1
- Borrow $26,000 to $250,0002
- Apply 100% online
- No annual fee, prepayment penalty, or fees to redraw3
- No paperwork needed to apply
- Close in as fast as 5 days1
- Borrow $26,000 to $250,0002
- Apply 100% online
- No annual fee, prepayment penalty, or fees to redraw3
- No paperwork needed to apply
Best for Large HELOCs
- No closing costs, no fees
- Fast, Easy Application
- 0.25% autopay discount
- Not-for-profit credit union
- First-lien HELOCs Available
- Excellent (120+ Trustpilot customers)
- No closing costs, no fees
- Fast, Easy Application
- 0.25% autopay discount
- Not-for-profit credit union
- First-lien HELOCs Available
- Excellent (120+ Trustpilot customers)
Home Equity Agreements (HEA)
Home equity sharing agreements, also referred to as home equity investments, is when an investor purchases a share of your equity and gives you a lump-sum payment, essentially buying a portion of your home’s future value.
Best Home Equity Agreement
- Access your equity quickly and flexibly
- No monthly payments
- Assigned a dedicated Investment Manager
- Get an online cash estimate in under 2 minutes
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 1 year ago
- Excellent (4,900+ Trustpilot customers)
- Access your equity quickly and flexibly
- No monthly payments
- Assigned a dedicated Investment Manager
- Get an online cash estimate in under 2 minutes
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 1 year ago
- Excellent (4,900+ Trustpilot customers)
Great for Partial Payments
- Accepts partial payments during the term
- No monthly payments or interest
- Get an online cash estimate in just 2 minutes
- Prequalify without affecting your credit score
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 5 years ago
- Excellent (1,200+ Trustpilot customers)
- Accepts partial payments during the term
- No monthly payments or interest
- Get an online cash estimate in just 2 minutes
- Prequalify without affecting your credit score
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 5 years ago
- Excellent (1,200+ Trustpilot customers)
Great for Longer Terms
- No payments for up to 30 years
- Funds can be used on anything you need
- No income requirements
- Get an online cash estimate in just 60 seconds
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 2 years ago
- Excellent (2,600+ Trustpilot Clients)
- No payments for up to 30 years
- Funds can be used on anything you need
- No income requirements
- Get an online cash estimate in just 60 seconds
- Accepts bankruptcy resolved over 2 years ago
- Excellent (2,600+ Trustpilot Clients)
Great for Flexible Repayments
- Access up to $500K
- No monthly payments
- Remain the owner and continue living in your home
- Maturity Match gives flexibility to repurchase at your convenience
- Get an online cash estimate in under 2 minutes
- Average (40+ Trustpilot Clients)
- Access up to $500K
- No monthly payments
- Remain the owner and continue living in your home
- Maturity Match gives flexibility to repurchase at your convenience
- Get an online cash estimate in under 2 minutes
- Average (40+ Trustpilot Clients)
How does a HEA compare to a HELOC ?
While home equity agreements (HEAs) offer a unique way to access your home’s equity, traditional home equity financing solutions like home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and Cash-out refinancing are still popular.
Let’s compare these options:
Home equity agreement (HEA)
A HESA is an agreement between you and an investment company in which you receive a lump-sum cash payment in exchange for a portion of your equity. It isn’t a form of debt, so there are no monthly payments, and the eligibility requirements are more lenient.
Home equity line of credit (HELOC)
A HELOC is a revolving credit line secured by your home’s equity. You can draw money as needed and only pay interest on what you borrow. HELOCs require monthly payments and have credit score and income requirements.
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1As of January 2025, 10% of funded HELOCs achieved a closing timeline of 5 days or less and a funding timeline of 11 days or less. This timeline assumes consumers close with our remote online notary, provide supporting documentation promptly, and ensure the information provided is accurate and consistent with our verification process. Delays, discrepancies, and other unforeseen factors may impact the closing timeline. MBA’s 2024 Home Lending Study reports an average industry closing time of 31 days.
2Upstart Mortgage offers HELOCs from $26K-$250K. The exact amount you may borrow depends on what you qualify for based on your application information
3Terms shown here are subject to change without notice. Origination fee to open an account is between 1.00% and 4.99% of the approved credit limit. The Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”) is variable and based on the Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal “Money Rates” table plus or minus a margin. Your APR will never be less than 3.99% or greater than 18.00%. Property insurance is required. Ask us for additional details.