What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Updated: Nov 7, 2022, 10:56am

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If you’re looking for a lump sum of money to help renovate your home, consolidate debt for a lower interest rate or cover another major expense, then a home equity loan might be a good option, depending on how much equity you have in your home.

Equity is the difference between your home’s value and what you still owe on your mortgage. Tapping your equity through a home equity loan is just one way to access it, and unlike some types of loans, it will allow you to get the full amount upfront. But to make sure it’s worth the cost to finance, it’s important to first calculate how much you will pay in interest.

Forbes Advisor compiled a list of the best home equity loan lenders primarily based on their starting interest rate, noting those that excel in various areas. We also graded them based on credit access and speed to close as well as whether they offer low fees or discount promotions.

The interest rates are reflected as annual percentage rates (APRs) as of September 14, 2022. We also considered each lender’s combined loan-to-value (CLTV) ratio requirement, which is calculated by dividing the sum of all the loans on the property by its current value. Most lenders require owners to retain a CLTV ratio of 80% or less, but some are willing to go higher.

Show Summary

  • Featured Partner
  • Best Home Equity Loan Rates
  • Old National Bank
  • TD Bank
  • Navy Federal Credit Union
  • Discover
  • US Bank
  • BMO Harris
  • Fifth Third Bank
  • Connexus
  • Summary: Best Home Equity Loan Rates
  • Methodology
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Best Home Equity Loan Rates


FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best For Lowest Starting Rate

Old National Bank

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

3.99% for initial 12 months; 5.24% thereafter

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

3.99% for initial 12 months; 5.24% thereafter

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

Old National’s teaser rate blows away the competition, and the rate that follows the intro rate is also much lower than the average among the lenders reviewed. You can borrow up to 89% of the CLTV ratio on your property. Right now, however, Old National’s home equity loans are only available in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Pros & Cons

  • Rates are lower than the national average
  • Minimum credit score is relatively low

  • Very limited footprint

Extra Details

Loan Terms
Starting APRs are based on borrowers having the best credit profiles and applying for an LTV of 80% or less. It also includes a 0.25% initial rate discount when a borrower sets up automatic payment from an Old National checking account.

Not Available Nationwide
Old National home equity loans are available in seven states currently.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support by phone is available six days a week.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best For Home Equity Loan Rate Overall

TD Bank

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

TD Bank has among the lowest interest rates that are not just an initial teaser rate—it’s for the life of the loan. The 4.49% starting APR is specifically for its 10-year home equity loan. However, you’ll need a high credit score to qualify for that lowest rate. Additionally,TD’s home equity loans aren’t available in all states.

Pros & Cons

  • Rates are much lower than the national average
  • CLTV of 89.99% better than some lenders

  • High credit score of at least 740 to qualify

Extra Details

Loan Terms
The rate quoted above is good for a 10-year loan term, though you can borrow for terms of five to 30 years. The lower rate also requires automatic withdrawals from a TD Bank checking or savings account. Without automatic withdrawals, the rate increases by 0.25%. It also requires a $99 origination fee.

Not Available Nationwide
TD Bank home equity loans are only available in about 16 states.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support by phone is available 24/7.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best for Highest Home Equity Borrowing Limit

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

Navy Federal Credit Union’s starting rate is below the national average. You must be a credit union member to qualify for a home equity loan, which means you must be an active member of the armed forces, a veteran, an employee of the Department of Defense or a family member of someone in one of those categories. The credit union also allows you to borrow up to 100% of your CLTV for a first and second home, which is higher than most competitors.

Pros & Cons

  • Rates are lower than the national average
  • You can tap up to 100% of your home’s equity after current debt is deducted

  • Must be a member of the credit union, which has eligibility requirements
  • Long closing times

Extra Details

Loan Terms
The starting APR is for a five-year loan term and up to 70% CLTV. Depending on the loan term, you can borrow as little as $10,000 and as much as $500,000. Loan timelines range from five years to 20 years. Navy Federal does not charge an application or origination fee, but there may be closing costs depending on factors like the property location and how much you’re borrowing. For loans up to $250,000, closing costs are typically between $300 and $2,000.

Available Nationwide
Navy Federal home equity loans are available in all states.

How to Apply
Borrowers can start the application process online. Customer support by phone is available Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight ET and Sunday from 9 a.m. to midnight.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best For Low Borrowers With Credit Scores

Discover

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

Discover makes its home equity loans available to borrowers with the lowest credit scores among the national lenders surveyed. The interest rate is slightly higher than some competitors, however.

Pros & Cons

  • Can qualify with a credit score as low as 620
  • Can tap up to 90% of your home’s equity

  • Slightly longer closing times than some of the speediest lenders
  • Rates slightly higher than competitors

Extra Details

Loan Terms
Discover says its best APRs starting at 5.99% are available to borrowers with “the best credit and other factors.” Loan amounts can be as low as $35,000 and as high as $300,000, but the best APRs start at the $80,000 level. Loan terms range from 10 to 30 years, and there are no origination fees or closing costs.

Not Available Nationwide
Home equity loans are not available in Iowa or Maryland.

How to Apply
Borrowers can start the application process online. Customer support by phone is available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to midnight ET and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best For Real-time Rate Estimates

U.S. Bank

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

U.S. Bank’s starting APR is lower than the national average. The bank also allows you to get a “loan estimate” in real time, which would include the estimated interest rate, monthly payment and total closing costs. Other details—such as the minimum credit score required and average time to close a loan—are not readily available, and the bank did not respond to requests for information.

Pros & Cons

  • Rates are lower than the national average
  • No closing costs

  • Closing timeline not disclosed
  • Minimum credit score not disclosed

Extra Details

Loan Terms
The rates shown above are for loans from $50,000 to $99,999 for a borrower with a credit score of at least 730 and up to 70% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. To get the lowest rate, the bank also requires customers to make automatic payments from a U.S. Bank personal checking or savings account.

Available Nationwide
U.S. Bank home equity loans are available in all states.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support by phone is available 24/7.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best For Loan Amounts

BMO Harris

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

BMO’s home equity loans have a higher APR than the national average, but the bank offers a slightly speedier timeline with about 30 days to close. BMO also has a slightly higher CLTV and offers loans as small as $5,000, all of which might put it in the sweet spot for some borrowers.

Pros & Cons

  • 30-day closing timeline is faster than most lenders
  • Higher CLTV of 89.99% than some lenders

  • Higher APR than average
  • You’ll need a credit score of at least 700 to qualify

Extra Details

Loan Terms
BMO offers home equity loans from five to 20 years, with loan amounts starting at $5,000. While there are no closing costs, if you pay your loan in full within 36 months, you may incur a fee for the bank to cover the costs of closing the loan initially.

Available Nationwide
BMO home equity loans are available in all states.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support is available by phone Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Best Mid-Tier Home Equity Loan Product

Fifth Third Bank

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

Fifth Third Bank offers among the most customer-friendly home equity loans with the ability to tap more of your home’s equity and a lower credit score requirement than most competitors. As of September 27, the lender had a starting rate of 6.74% for a good-quality borrower, according to a bank representative. This places Fifth Third’s rates in the middle of its peers.

Pros & Cons

  • Higher CLTV than most lenders
  • Lower credit score than many lenders

  • APR slightly higher than best rates
  • Available only in Fifth Third’s 11-state footprint

Extra Details

Loan Terms
The APR that Fifth Third advertises is offered to borrowers with the highest credit scores and qualifications. The lowest rate also includes a 0.25% discount for borrowers who set up automatic payments from an eligible Fifth Third account.

Not Available Nationwide
Fifth Third operates in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support by phone is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

FEATURED PARTNER OFFER

Fastest Closing Time

Connexus Credit Union

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Compare Rates

Compare rates from participating lenders in your area via Bankrate.com

APRs starting at

CLTV

Minimum credit score

Why We Picked It

Connexus has the fastest closing timelines among the lenders we surveyed, with about 25 days to close. It also has a lower required credit score and a higher CLTV than some lenders.

Pros & Cons

  • Fast closing time
  • You can tap up to 90% of your CLTV

  • Rates are higher than the national average
  • Closing costs can be high

Extra Details

Loan Terms
The lowest APR quoted is for loan terms of five years to 15 years and a minimum borrowing of $5,000. There are closing costs, however, which can range from $175 to $2,000.

Not Available Nationwide
Connexus home equity loans are not available in Maryland, Texas, Hawaii and Alaska.

How to Apply
Borrowers can apply online. Customer support by phone is available 24/7.

Summary: Best Home Equity Loan Rates


Methodology

We reviewed a dozen home equity loan lenders for customers across the nation. Lenders that do not display their interest rates online or decline to respond to emails or calls from reporters are not eligible for the list.

We scored lenders primarily on the basis of their interest rates but also included additional information that’s important to borrowers, such as time to close and amount you can borrow as well as offered discounts or promotional rates.

The score is weighted among the following loan and lender features:

  • Interest Rate: 50%
  • Maximum Combined Loan-to-value Ratio: 20%
  • Closing timelines: 20%
  • Credit Score: 10%

Bonus points: Lenders who offer some kind of discount (usually for a banking relationship) are eligible for five bonus points.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a home equity loan?

Home equity loans allow homeowners to borrow against the equity in their homes. Equity is the difference between your home’s value minus what you owe on your mortgage. Home equity loans are popular among borrowers who want to use the funds to cover large expenses, such as home improvement projects or high-interest debt consolidation.

How do I calculate how much equity is in my home?

A rough rule of thumb is that the amount of equity you have in your home is the home’s value minus any outstanding loans on the property, like your mortgage. You can use our home equity loan calculator for a more precise calculation.

How does a home equity loan differ from a home equity line of credit (HELOC)?

Home equity loans and HELOCs are both technically second mortgages on your home. A home equity loan allows you to get a lump sum of money all at once and then repay it over time, while a line of credit gives you access to a revolving credit line that you can tap into, repay and tap again over a period of years.

Home equity loans are often a better option if you know the amount you need already—say for a child’s education or a home construction project. That’s because when you get the money all at once, you repay it according to a fixed interest rate. In contrast, a home equity line of credit offers a lot more flexibility and the ability to take some or all of the money over time—but you pay for that flexibility by agreeing to a variable interest rate that could rise, in some cases substantially, over the life of the credit line.

How do I calculate my combined loan-to-value ratio?

Your CLTV ratio is the sum of anything you owe on the house—say a mortgage and a home equity loan—divided by the value of the property. Most lenders prefer you to borrow no more than 80% of your CLTV, but some will go up to 90%.


Next Up in Home Equity


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What is the average interest rate on home equity loans

Andrea Riquier is a New York-based writer covering mortgages and the housing market for Forbes Advisor. She was previously at Dow Jones MarketWatch, on the housing market and financial markets beats. Before that, she covered macro and central banks for Investor's Business Daily, and municipal bonds for Debtwire.

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What is the monthly payment on a 50 000 home equity loan?

Loan payment example: on a $50,000 loan for 120 months at 8.00% interest rate, monthly payments would be $606.64.

What is the average interest rate on an equity line of credit?

The current average interest rate for a HELOC is 7.3%, according to Bankrate, CNET's sister site. Anything below the average rate is typically considered a good rate for HELOCs.

Do home equity loans have higher interest rates?

Home equity loan rates are generally higher because second mortgages are only paid back after primary mortgages have been. As a second mortgage lender, there's a higher risk that the sale price will be too low for the lender to recoup their costs.

Does a home equity loan have a lower interest rate?

One of the benefits of home equity loans is that they typically have lower interest rates than personal loans or credit cards. Right now, borrowers with excellent credit and sufficient equity can secure home equity loans with interest rates as low as 5% to 6%, according to Bankrate.