Can you really pay off your mortgage early with a HELOC?
No restrictions on how you can use the money: A HELOC allows you to borrow as much money as you need (up to your credit limit) and you can use the funds for any expenses you have, such as paying off your mortgage or making home renovations.
Since HELOCs sometimes have lower interest rates than mortgages, you could save money and potentially pay off your mortgage sooner. Even if the rates are similar, refinancing your first mortgage with a HELOC might still be the best choice for you.
Loan payment example: on a $50,000 loan for 120 months at 7.65% interest rate, monthly payments would be $597.43. Payment example does not include amounts for taxes and insurance premiums.
Whether you plan to pay off your HELOC when you sell your home, are refinancing, or experience a financial windfall, a prepayment penalty could be an unexpected charge. Most prepayment penalties are about 2% of your loan balance, but the amount varies by lender.
A home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) adds to your monthly budget, but your payments are separate from your mortgage. It's possible to strategically use your home equity to lower your overall mortgage payments, but the numbers must make sense in your situation.
In a true financial emergency, a HELOC can be a source of lower-interest cash compared to other sources, such as credit cards and personal loans. It's not a good idea to use a HELOC to fund a vacation, buy a car, pay off credit card debt, pay for college, or invest in real estate.
HELOCs can be more affordable than some other types of credit, but keep in mind you'll pay more than just interest. HELOCs also have a variety of fees that can quickly drive up the cost of borrowing. These can include appraisal fees, application fees, closing costs, annual fees, early termination fees and more.
The average interest rate for a 10-year fixed-rate home equity loan is currently 9.09%. If you borrowed $100,000 with that rate and term, you'd pay a total of $52,596.04 in interest. Your monthly payment would be $1,271.63.
If you took out a 10-year, $100,000 home equity loan at a rate of 8.75%, you could expect to pay just over $1,253 per month for the next decade. Most home equity loans come with fixed rates, so your rate and payment would remain steady for the entire term of your loan.
The current average rate for a 10-year fixed-rate home equity loan is 9.07%. If you took out a $150,000 loan at that rate, you'd pay $1,905.82 per month for ten years. You'd end up paying a total of $78,698.86 in interest.
Can you sell your house with a HELOC?
Having a HELOC doesn't prevent you from selling. However, your HELOC balance is repaid from the sale proceeds along with your mortgage, which means less money in your pocket at closing. Additionally, certain scenarios, such as depreciated home values or short sales, can make selling with a HELOC extra challenging.
Because you're only charged for your outstanding balance at the end of your draw period, your monthly repayment amount depends on how much you borrow and your HELOC's interest rate. Remember that HELOCs typically have variable rates, so your payments could increase.
They, along with home equity loans, are forecast to retreat further in 2024. With the Fed still looking to lower rates later in 2024, a HELOC may be more beneficial than a home equity loan because the rate could go down.
Having a HELOC could increase your debt-to-income ratio, making it more difficult to be approved for other loans or credit.
It can have a small impact on your credit score when you apply for one, but a larger one if payments are late or missed. As additional debt, it can ding it — but can also boost it as an enhancement of your total available credit.
Keep in mind you'll pay interest on the full loan balance, even if you don't use it. Refinance into a new HELOC with a fixed-rate. You may shop around and find that HELOC rates have come down since you took out your HELOC. If this is the case, you may consider refinancing into a new HELOC.
Example 2: 15-year fixed-rate home equity loan at 9.13% interest. The current interest rate for 15-year home equity loans is slightly higher at 9.13%. If you borrow $75,000 with these terms, you'll pay $62,971.97 in interest over the course of the loan — but your monthly payment will be lower at $766.51.
Now let's calculate the monthly payments on a 15-year fixed-rate home equity loan for $20,000 at 8.89%, which was the average rate for 15-year home equity loans as of October 16, 2023. Using the formula above, the monthly principal and interest payments for this loan option would be $201.55.
Here are the monthly payments you can expect on HELOCs with 20-year terms (as calculated with the Mortgage Calculator): $25,000 HELOC with a 20-year term: $25,000 HELOC balance at 9.8%: $204.17 per month. $25,000 HELOC balance at 10.3%: $214.58 per month.
LOAN TYPE | AVERAGE RATE | AVERAGE RATE RANGE |
---|---|---|
HELOC | 9.01% | 8.51% – 10.22% |
Is HELOC a good idea?
Should you get a HELOC? HELOCs can be a good option if you have substantial equity in your home and you know you'll need access to cash with some regularity over a period of time — college tuition bills over the course of several years, for example.
HELOC payment examples
For example, payments on a $100,000 HELOC with a 6% annual percentage rate (APR) may cost around $500 a month during the first ten years when only interest payments are required.
- Make a substantial down payment. ...
- Boost your monthly payments. ...
- Pay bi-weekly. ...
- Make lump-sum principal payments. ...
- Get help paying the mortgage.
The amount of a mortgage you can afford based on your salary often comes down to a rule of thumb. For example, some experts say you should spend no more than 2x to 2.5x your gross annual income on a mortgage (so if you earn $60,000 per year, the mortgage size should be at most $150,000).
Our top picks for home equity lenders are Navy Federal Credit Union, U.S. Bank, TD Bank, Third Federal and Spring EQ. The best home equity loans have competitive interest rates and few fees, such as closing costs or origination fees.
References
- https://www.cusocal.org/blog/does-heloc-affect-credit-score
- https://nypost.com/personal-loans/personal-loans-for-600-credit-score/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-would-a-20000-home-equity-loan-cost-per-month/
- https://money.com/how-to-get-a-home-equity-loan-with-bad-credit/
- https://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/resources/learning-centre/borrow/get-a-personal-loan-in-5-easy-steps
- https://www.acornfinance.com/blog/personal-loans/3k-personal-loan/
- https://www.fairfinance.org.uk/direct-lender-loans/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-would-a-150000-home-equity-loan-cost-per-month/
- https://www.macu.com/must-reads/home-equity/when-you-should-or-shouldnt-get-a-heloc
- https://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/borrow/popular-loans/personal-loan
- https://lendedu.com/blog/does-home-equity-loan-or-heloc-increase-mortgage-payment/
- https://www.bankrate.com/loans/personal-loans/personal-loan-versus-a-credit-card/
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/home-equity-loans-are-a-good-deal/
- https://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/resources/learning-centre/borrow/personal-loan-rejection-reasons
- https://www.lendingtree.com/home/home-equity/home-equity-loan-requirements/
- https://orchard.com/blog/posts/pay-off-your-mortgage-in-five-years
- https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/5000-personal-loan/
- https://money.usnews.com/loans/personal-loans/articles/loan-with-no-income
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/111815/6-biggest-banks-offering-personal-loans.asp
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/home-equity/heloc-pros-cons/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/personal-loans/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-personal-loan
- https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/3000-personal-loan/
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/federal-reserve-and-home-equity-rates/
- https://www.cnbc.com/select/easiest-personal-loans/
- https://www.credible.com/mortgage/home-equity-loan-bad-credit
- https://mykukun.com/blog/why-big-banks-stopped-financing-helocs/
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/home-equity/heloc-requirements/
- https://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/resources/learning-centre/borrow/how-quickly-can-you-get-a-personal-loan
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-you-sell-house-if-you-have-heloc/
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/home-equity/ways-to-get-best-heloc-rates/
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/111615/are-personal-loans-bad-your-credit-score.asp
- https://groww.in/blog/best-personal-loans-in-india
- https://www.cusocal.org/Learn/Financial-Guidance/Blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-heloc
- https://wallethub.com/personal-loan-calculator
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/what-is-a-second-mortgage/
- https://www.buddyloan.com/blog/india-top-10-quick-loans/
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/does-heloc-affect-credit-score/
- https://lazypay.in/personal-loan
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/personal-loans/1000-personal-loan/
- https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article272664003.html
- https://www.bankrate.com/loans/personal-loans/where-to-get-bad-credit-loans/
- https://point.com/blog/no-income-verification-heloc
- https://www.credible.com/blog/mortgages/home-equity-loan-vs-line-credit/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/denied-a-home-equity-loan-heres-what-to-do/
- https://www.navyfederal.org/makingcents/home-ownership/how-to-get-approved-for-home-equity-loan.html
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/personal-loans/get-personal-loan-bad-credit
- https://www.bankrate.com/loans/personal-loans/the-best-apps-that-loan-money/
- https://www.lendingtree.com/home/home-equity/heloc/what-is-a-home-equity-line-credit/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-it-hard-to-get-a-heloc/
- https://www.citizensbank.com/learning/pay-off-home-equity-loan-or-heloc.aspx
- https://www.bankbazaar.com/personal-loan/instant-loans.html
- https://www.citizensbank.com/learning/pay-off-mortgage-with-heloc.aspx
- https://www.usbank.com/home-loans/home-equity/home-equity-rate-and-payment-calculator.html
- https://www.credible.com/personal-loan/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-personal-loan
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/mortgages/heloc-lenders
- https://www.chase.com/personal/home-equity/customer-service/understanding-home-equity
- https://www.bankrate.com/loans/personal-loans/private-lenders-vs-banks/
- https://www.bankatfirstnational.com/wallet-wise-blog/march-2023/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-heloc/
- https://www.creditninja.com/blog/who-will-give-me-a-loan-when-no-one-else-will/
- https://www.bankrate.com/loans/personal-loans/average-credit-score-for-personal-loans/
- https://www.investopedia.com/easiest-personal-loans-approved-7644059
- https://www.creditkarma.com/home-loans/i/heloc-requirements
- https://www.investopedia.com/what-are-hardship-personal-loans-7963276
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/05/030905.asp
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/home-equity-loan-bad-credit/
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-home-equity-loans-are-still-so-hard-to-come-by-11619699464
- https://hyperverge.co/blog/prevent-ghost-loans-with-ai/
- https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fast-cash-options-to-avoid-if-you-need-money.html
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/home-equity/best-home-equity-lenders/
- https://wallethub.com/answers/pl/how-much-can-i-borrow-with-a-530-credit-score-1000508-2140806916/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-would-a-25000-home-equity-loan-cost-per-month/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/personal-loans/how-to-apply-for-a-bank-loan
- https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/top-10-personal-loans-from-banks-with-lowest-interest-rates-details-here-11706011927426.html
- https://www.figure.com/blog/can-i-get-a-heloc-if-i-have-a-low-credit-score/
- https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/cash-out-refinance-vs-heloc
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/pros-cons-of-home-equity-lines/
- https://www.cusocal.org/blog/how-do-heloc-repayments-work
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/heloc-rates/
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/personal-loans/20000-personal-loan/
- https://www.credible.com/personal-loan/chase-bank-personal-loan-alternatives
- https://www.discover.com/home-loans/articles/how-does-heloc-repayment-work/
- https://www.helpwithmybank.gov/help-topics/mortgages-home-equity/home-equity-loans-lines-of-credit/heloc-freeze.html
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/personal-loans/credit-score-need-get-personal-loan
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/50000-personal-loan
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-does-a-heloc-cost-per-month/
- https://www.credible.com/blog/mortgages/home-equity-loan-bad-credit/
- https://www.cusocal.org/Learn/Financial-Guidance/Blog/how-soon-can-i-get-a-heloc
- https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/home/prime-rate-information.html
- https://wallethub.com/answers/pl/how-much-can-i-borrow-with-a-650-credit-score-1000508-2140806921/
- https://wallethub.com/personal-loans/quick
- https://www.credible.com/personal-loan/500-loan
- https://wallethub.com/answers/pl/what-s-the-interest-rate-on-a-5000-dollar-loan-1000502-2140800459/
- https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/heloc/reasons-not-to-use-heloc/
- https://www.investopedia.com/best-uses-5000-personal-loan-7972835
- https://wallethub.com/answers/pl/can-you-get-a-5000-loan-with-bad-credit-1000098-2140839700/
- https://wallethub.com/answers/pl/what-credit-score-do-i-need-for-a-5000-personal-loan-1000461-2140767354/
- https://www.creditkarma.com/personal-loans/i/personal-loan-credit-score
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-would-a-100000-home-equity-loan-cost-per-month/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/home-equity-loan-and-heloc-requirements
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/research/home-equity-line-of-credit-study/
- https://www.moneygeek.com/personal-loans/how-to-get-a-30000-personal-loan/
- https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/personal-loans/easiest-personal-loans-to-get/
- https://lendingusa.com/blog/financing/all-about-10000-personal-loans/
- https://money.usnews.com/loans/how-to-get-a-5000-personal-loan
- https://www.beonpath.org/about/blog/post/what-disqualifies-borrowers-from-getting-a-heloc-/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-interest-would-i-pay-on-a-100000-home-equity-loan/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-interest-would-i-pay-on-a-75000-home-equity-loan/
- https://www.bankrate.com/home-equity/heloc-refinance-draw-period-ends/
- https://www.cusocal.org/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-personal-loan
- https://www.investopedia.com/banks-credit-unions-best-for-personal-loan-7570430
- https://www.investopedia.com/why-big-banks-do-not-offer-reverse-mortgages-helocs-5235647
- https://www.boldermoney.com/blog/how-to-make-10-000-fast
- https://www.moneygeek.com/mortgage/heloc/bad-credit/
- https://money.usnews.com/loans/personal-loans/articles/can-i-borrow-money-with-a-500-credit-score