In most cases, having a low amount of equity in your home won't automatically disqualify you from being approved by a HELOC lender. That said, most lenders typically require you to have at least 15% to 20% equity in your home after accounting for the HELOC, meaning you'd need more than that amount of equity before applying. Here's how that works.

Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) allow homeowners to tap into the value of their homes. A home equity loan is a fixed-rate, lump-sum loan that allows homeowners to borrow up to 85% of their home’s value and pay that amount back in monthly installments.

Both home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and home equity loans are up in numbers, their originations rising in Q3 2024 by 6 and 8 percent, respectively. HELOC balances are bigger, too: They climbed in Q4 of last year, marking the 11th quarter in a row of growth.

The answer to this question is not definitive, even for March 2025. For some homeowners, a HELOC could be most applicable to their situation, while, for others, a home equity loan could be the clear choice this month. Here's why each may be better for you: