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Lending: What’s a HELOC

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Home-Equity. It's a valuable asset. 

Put yours to work for you with a home equity line of credit, or HELOC.  

(Auditory Description: HELOC is pronounced HEE-lock). 

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You can use a HELOC for almost anything like home improvements, which can increase your home's value. 

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A HELOC can also be used for paying down high interest debt, or for large expenses like medical or education costs. 

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What's home equity? It's the current market value of your home minus the amount you owe your mortgage lender. 

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With a HELOC, you can borrow against a portion of your total equity. 
Typically,

 lenders allow you to borrow a total combined amount of 75 to 90% of your home's value. 

To calculate your potential HELOC amount, simply subtract your outstanding mortgage balance. 

Here's an example. A lender determines you can borrow against 80% of your home's value. Since your home is valued at $250,000, 80% of that is $200,000. 

After you subtract your mortgage balance of $150,000 your potential HELOC amount is $50,000. 

Your credit score and debt to income ratio also play a role in calculating your HELOC amount. 

(Visual Description: Animation of a woman’s statistics being calculated. They end with a credit score of 660 and debt to income ratio of 35%.)

A HELOC is similar to a credit card, because you can withdraw funds up to your limit. 

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But unlike a credit card, a HELOC uses your home as collateral, so it's smart to borrow only what you need. 

Some lenders may charge you fees to open a HELOC.  

Having all the information can help you figure out if a HELOC will work for you.

Generally, you can choose a variable or fixed interest rate with a HELOC, depending on your situation.

Then you'll receive a revolving line of credit available for a set period of time, known as the Draw Period. 

(Visual Description: Text shows: Draw Period Start at Month 1. The animation extends to show the Draw Period End at Month 12.)

During the Draw period, you make payments towards your balance, and you can draw funds up to your available limit. 

(Visual Description: Text shows: the HELOC Period Start at Year 1 with a line that connects to HELOC Period End at Year 10.) 

When the draw period ends, the repayment period begins and it's your responsibility to pay off the balance before the maturity date.

(Visual Description: Text show: the Repayment Period Start at Year 10 with a line that connects to Repayment Period End at Year 20. 

 
Think a HELOC may be right for you? We're here to help.

Reach out to discuss your home equity or visit truist.com/HELOC.  

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Learn more at Truist.com/HELOC

Disclosure: Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC, Copyright 2021 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, Truist Purple, and the Truist logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.)

What’s a HELOC?

A home equity line of credit lets you tap into the equity in your home and borrow against it for things like home improvements, consolidating debts, or other major expenses. 

For many people, a home is their largest asset. A home equity line of credit—or HELOC for short—is a second mortgage that provides you with cash based on your home’s value.

First things first: What exactly, is home equity?

The equity in your home is the value of your home, minus what you still owe to your mortgage lender. A HELOC allows you to use a portion of your home’s equity by borrowing against it. Your credit score and debt-to-income ratio play a role in what you can qualify for.

How does it work?

A HELOC works almost like a credit card: It allows you to withdraw funds up to your credit limit. But even though you may have access to funds, it’s important to remember to borrow only what you need.

Generally, you can choose to draw at a variable or fixed interest rate—whichever works best for your situation. The revolving line of credit is available to you for a set period of time, known as the draw period. During the draw period, you’ll make payments toward the balance but can continue to draw funds up to your available limit. When the draw period ends, the repayment period begins, and you’ll pay off the remaining balance before the maturity date.

Does a HELOC make sense for you?

HELOCs are generally used for home improvement projects, which can increase the overall value of your home. But they can be used for other large expenses too, like education or paying down high-interest debt. Some lenders may charge fees to open a HELOC. Make sure you have all the details to determine whether a HELOC is right for you.