Home equity sharing may also be wise if you don't want extra debt reflected on your credit profile. "These agreements allow homeowners to access their home equity without incurring additional debt," says Michael Crute, a real estate agent and operations strategist with Keller Williams in Atlanta.
Let's say your home has an appraised value of $250,000, and you enter into a contract with one of the home equity agreement companies on the market. They agree to provide a lump sum of $25,000 in exchange for 10% of your home's appreciation. If you sell the house for $250,000, the HEA company is entitled to $25,000.
Average HELOC rates by market Your potential HELOC rate also depends on where your home is located. As of January 1, 2025, the current average HELOC interest rate in the 10 largest U.S. markets is 8.36 percent.
These agreements let you access funds in exchange for a share of your property's future appreciation. Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of NerdWallet, but this does not influence our evaluations, lender star ratings or the order in which lenders are listed on the page.
Generally, you can borrow up to 80% of your home's value minus your remaining home debts, meaning you're not eligible for an HEA until you have at least 20% equity in your home. Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio: Calculate what percentage of your monthly gross income goes toward your debt payments.
A company provides you with a lump sum in exchange for partial ownership of your home, and/or a share of its future appreciation. You don't make monthly repayments of principal or interest; instead, you settle up when you sell the home or at the end of a multi-year agreement period (typically between 10 and 30 years).
Qualifying for a HEA is relatively easy, too. The main requirement is to have built up some equity in your property. You don't need a super high credit score, and the income criteria are flexible.