You can get equity out of your home without refinancing with a home equity loan, HELOC, equity agreement, or reverse mortgage — no change to your mortgage rate. Here are four popular routes let you access home equity while leaving your existing first mortgage untouched: Home equity loan — a fixed-rate lump sum on a… Read More »
Yes, you can refinance a jumbo mortgage in 2026, though the timing calculus has shifted since earlier this year. Thirty-year fixed jumbo refinance rates average 6.91% as of July 29, 2026, up from 6.53% at the start of the month, which is a roughly 40-basis-point climb in four weeks. The three Federal Reserve rate cuts… Read More »
Yes, but not immediately. Most lenders require two to four years after your Chapter 7 discharge before reviewing a home equity loan application, and conservative institutions wait longer. Beyond time, expect a 620 minimum credit score (680+ for realistic approval), at least 15%–20% equity, and a clean payment record since discharge. Non-QM and portfolio lenders… Read More »
A second mortgage is a special type of mortgage structured as a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit or HELOC that lets you tap the equity you’ve built in your home for large expenses such as house renovations, consolidating debt, business expenses, or even investment property purchases. Unlike refinancing your first… Read More »
Getting approved for a bad credit home equity loan can be very challenging. In 2026, most smart homeowners consider HELOCs or low-credit equity loans if they already have a low interest rate on their first mortgage. We published this article to help homeowners understand the loan to value and credit requirements on HELOCs and equity… Read More »
The USDA Streamline Refinance program is one of the only mortgage refinancing programs that requires no appraisal and no equity to qualify for in 2026. The USDA streamline represents one of the most accessible and borrower-friendly refinancing options available to rural and suburban homeowners in 2026. Designed specifically for existing USDA loan holders, this program… Read More »
Homeowners with bad credit scores have been searching for hard money loans and private money mortgages this year. If you have poor credit and you still want to get a home loan, either for your own home or an investment property, you still could have some hard money loan options available. In most cases, traditional… Read More »
Yes. You can get a no documentation home equity loan without tax returns, W-2s, or pay stubs in 2026. No doc equity loans allow homeowners, business owners, self-employed professionals, retirees, and real estate investors to get cash out by accessing the equity in their property using alternative verification methods — bank statements, asset statements, or… Read More »
Yes, you can buy a fixer-upper with a VA loan in 2026, through two distinct paths. A standard VA purchase loan can be used on a home needing minor repairs as long as the seller (or a negotiated credit) brings the property up to the VA’s Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs) before closing. For homes needing… Read More »
Yes, you can absolutely refinance a DSCR loan. Real estate investors can refinance a DSCR loan into another DSCR loan, refinance a DSCR loan into a conventional mortgage, or refinance an existing conventional or hard money loan into a DSCR loan. All three pathways are fully available in 2026, and DSCR-to-DSCR refinancing has become one… Read More »
