The top stories in home equity, mortgages and real estate

Interest rates roundup

  • HELOCs drop, home equity loans barely budge

    After rising for the past few weeks, HELOCs dropped to 8.14 percent, still holding close to their lowest level in two years. Meanwhile, the average $30,000 home equity loan inched a tick up to 8.24 percent, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders.

  • …while mortgage rates stay below 7%

    The national average for 30-year fixed-rate mortgage inched lower in the most recent week to 6.94 percent, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey.

Stay one step ahead of HELOC fraudsters

Think your home equity credit line is safe? Think again. Not only is HELOC fraud on the rise, but it’s also sneaky and could drain your savings before you even notice. Find out how scammers can steal your money and the simple steps you can take to protect your hard-earned home equity funds.

Find out: How to protect yourself from HELOC fraud

Despite the economy, you can still buy a home

Fears about an economic downturn might have you thinking about putting homeownership plans on pause. But experts say if you’re financially ready and plan to stay put for a few years, it could actually cost you more to wait. Here’s why it might make more sense to buy a home now instead of later. 

Read more: Why recession fears shouldn't derail your homebuying plans

Why women have less home wealth

Single women buy homes in greater numbers than single men. Yet they derive less wealth from their home, the most significant asset many Americans have. From higher prices to lower sale returns and wage gaps to tougher negotiations, the housing market still stacks the deck unevenly for women. What can be done to even the playing field?

Learn more: The housing gender gap

Another week, another home price record

Home prices keep climbing to new heights: The latest Case-Shiller index shows a 3.4 percent annual rise in March. But the growth is slowing and has in fact been dropping in the two previous months. Which cities have the hottest and coldest housing markets?

Read more: Case-Shiller Index: Home prices push higher, but they’re cooling off

Smaller homes, bigger price tags

No doubt about it, it’s a frustrating time to be a homebuyer: While home prices keep rising and mortgage payments have doubled since 2020, new homes are the smallest they’ve been in about a decade. However, experts say holding out for a bigger, “forever” home might not be the best strategy.

Learn why: Bigger isn’t always better for homebuyers facing rising costs

Decoding what’s behind home equity loan rates

Have you ever shopped for a HELOC or home equity loan and wondered how the rate you’re offered is actually set? It’s not just your lender calling the shots. The Federal Reserve’s monetary moves, along with your credit profile and home’s value also play a significant role. 

Find out : How are home equity loan rates determined?
$13 trillion
Mortgage debt, including home equity loans, ed for $13.09 trillion in consumer debt as of March 2025, a 74 % share of total debt.

Source: Equifax

In case you missed it

Technically, these stories were released in the previous weeks, but they’re still worth highlighting.

Homeownership and your family’s future

Real estate not only holds value, but it also tends to appreciate over time. For many families, homeownership is often their first, and sometimes their only chance, to build real wealth they can down. Here’s why having a home can be so important — not just for now, but for the future.

Learn more: How a home builds generational wealth

Home equity costs uncovered

Origination fees, appraisal reports and credit report fees are some of the closing costs you may have to pay when taking out a home equity loan or a HELOC. The good news? Overall closing costs are often less than what you would pay with a primary mortgage — and some of them are even negotiable.

Read on: How much are home equity loan closing costs in 2025?

 

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