Free · No Signup · All Options Compared — Not Just the One Your Bank Sells
The Home Equity Calculator
See exactly how much equity you can access, compare every way to tap it side by side — HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refinance, and home equity investment — and get an honest assessment of whether you should.
🏠 Equity & CLTV calculator💰 HELOC vs HEL vs cash-out🆕 No-payment HEI modeler🔨 Use of funds analyzer⚠️ Risk assessment
Important: This tool is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, mortgage, or legal advice. All home equity products use your home as collateral — defaulting can result in foreclosure. Consult a licensed financial advisor and HUD-approved housing counselor before making decisions.
Most lenders allow up to 80–85% combined loan-to-value (CLTV). Premium HELOC lenders go up to 90–95%. Your accessible equity is the difference between that limit and your current mortgage balance.
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📊 Equity breakdown
Mortgage balance
Accessible equity
Lender-required cushion
💰 HELOC vs Home Equity Loan vs Cash-Out Refinance
True side-by-side cost comparison of all three borrowing options. The right choice depends heavily on whether your current mortgage rate is lower than today's rates — if it is, a cash-out refi forces you to give that up.
Your home & existing mortgage
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Amount you want to borrow
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Current market rates (2026)
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📊 Side-by-side comparison
🆕 Home equity investment (no monthly payment) modeler
Companies like Hometap, Point, and Unlock give you cash now in exchange for a percentage of your home's future value — with no monthly payments. You repay when you sell or after 10 years. This models what you'd actually owe under different appreciation scenarios.
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📊 What you'd owe under different appreciation scenarios
⚖️ HEI vs HELOC — when does each win?
When HEI beats a HELOC: If your credit score is below 680, your income is irregular (self-employed), your debt-to-income ratio is too high for a HELOC, or your cash flow can't support monthly payments, a home equity investment may be your only realistic option. It's also useful for shorter holding periods where you know you'll sell within 3–5 years — you avoid paying compound interest entirely. When HELOC beats HEI: If your home appreciates significantly (5%+/year), an HEI becomes very expensive — you're effectively paying a high "interest equivalent" rate. If you have strong credit and stable income, a HELOC at 8–9% will almost always be cheaper than giving up 15–25% of your home's appreciation.
🔨 What should I use my home equity for?
Not all uses of home equity are equal. Home improvements that increase resale value are very different from using equity to fund a vacation. This tool helps you model the ROI for common use cases and see which makes the most financial sense.
🏠 Home improvement ROI by project
Average resale value recovered as % of project cost. Source: Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report 2025.
Project
Avg cost
Resale value
ROI
Verdict
The ROI rule for using equity on home improvements: A project with 80%+ ROI makes sense with home equity — you're building value that partially offsets the cost of borrowing. Projects under 60% ROI are effectively lifestyle spending, not investments. The interest you pay on home equity borrowing (8–9%) erodes ROI further — factor that in before borrowing.
💳 Debt consolidation break-even calculator
Home equity can consolidate high-interest debt at a lower rate — but you're converting unsecured debt into debt secured by your home. Model the true savings here.
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⚠️ Should I tap my home equity? Honest risk assessment
Your bank will tell you how much you can borrow. This tool tells you whether you should. Answer honestly — the scorecard identifies specific risk factors in your situation.
Your financial situation
Your home & market
Purpose of borrowing
📋 Factor-by-factor breakdown
📚 In-depth home equity guides
Plain-English explainers to help you understand your options before you borrow.