Know your number before you borrow against your house.
You have equity. Here is how much of it you can actually pull out, which loan gets it to you without touching your current mortgage rate, and what it costs per month. The calculator comes first. The phone number comes later, if you want it.
Why a second lien, and why now
If you bought or refinanced before 2022, replacing that loan to pull cash means repricing the whole balance at today's rate. A HELOC or home equity loan sits behind it and leaves it alone.
Prices rose for years while owners held on to low rates. That gap is the money, and a second lien is the way most people get at it without giving up the rate.
Value, balance, a loan-to-value cap. That is the whole calculation. We put it at the top of every page instead of behind a form.
Three ways to turn equity into cash
HELOC
A credit line secured by your home. Draw what you need, pay interest only on what you use. Variable rate tied to prime. Fits ongoing projects and uncertain amounts.
How a HELOC works →Home equity loan
One lump sum, one fixed rate, one payment that never changes. Lenders call it a HELOAN. Fits a known amount and people who want a predictable bill.
How a home equity loan works →Cash-out refinance
Replaces your current mortgage with a bigger one and hands you the difference. Makes sense if you have no low rate to protect or need a very large amount.
When to refinance, when not to →What are you using the money for?
A renovation
Kitchen, roof, addition. Which loan fits a project with a moving budget.
Equity for renovations →Paying off debt
One lower payment instead of five. The honest version, including where it goes wrong.
Equity for debt consolidation →Buying a rental
The down payment on your first investment property is sitting in your primary home.
Equity for an investment property →Two programs most lenders don't have
Self-employed? Your deposits are your income.
A fixed-rate home equity loan qualified on 12 months of business bank statements. We add up every deposit and count half as income. No tax returns.
Bank statement home equity loan →Own a rental? The rent qualifies the loan.
A second mortgage on an investment property, underwritten on the property's rent instead of your personal income. Your rental's current mortgage stays put.
DSCR second mortgage →180+ five-star reviews
Unified Home Loans holds a 5.0 rating across more than 180 client reviews on Google and other review sites. Three of them, word for word:
“Paul was fantastic to work with from start to finish. He’s extremely professional, patient, and clearly explains every step of the process. He always responded quickly, ran numbers for different scenarios, and kept everything moving on schedule. I felt very supported the whole time. I’d happily work with Paul again and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a lender.”
Sherry Z. · Google review“Paul was amazing on my Family opportunity transaction. He is my go to guy for my mortgages.”
Royal K. · Google review“Paul and his team did a great job”
Peninsula Fire Department · Google reviewWho is behind this
Equity Roadmap is run by Unified Home Loans, a mortgage broker and correspondent lender in Roseville, California, a company that is both a broker and a correspondent lender. Being both a broker and a lender means we can send your file to whichever program fits it, including the bank statement and rental-property seconds that most banks don't offer. When you ask for options here, a licensed loan officer at Unified Home Loans is the one who texts you back. Your inquiry is never sold.
What happens after you see your number
- You run the calculator. No contact info needed. Change the numbers as much as you like.
- You ask for options, if you want them. Name, phone, email. A loan officer texts you back, usually within the hour during business hours.
- We confirm the real numbers. Credit, equity, income or rent, and the program that fits. This is where the estimate becomes a quote.
- Application and appraisal. Online application, documents uploaded, appraisal ordered if the program needs one.
- Funding. A second lien typically closes faster than a full refinance because your first mortgage is not being touched.
Start with the question you actually have
How do I pull equity out of my home?
The full guide: what equity is, how much you can borrow, the three ways to get it, and what lenders look at.
Read the guide →Can I get cash without refinancing?
Yes. Here is why a refinance costs more than it looks when your rate is low, and what to do instead.
Keep your rate →HELOC or home equity loan?
Side by side, the same $80,000 three ways, and the three questions that settle it.
Compare →Questions people ask first
How much equity can I borrow against?
Most programs cap the total of every loan on your home at 80% of its value; some go to 90%. Subtract what you owe from that cap and the rest is your borrowing room. The calculator at the top does this for you.
Does running the calculator affect my credit?
No. Nothing on this site touches your credit. A credit check only happens if you apply, and we tell you before it does.
Will I lose my current mortgage rate?
Not with a HELOC or home equity loan. Both are second liens that sit behind your existing mortgage and leave its rate and payment exactly as they are. Only a cash-out refinance replaces the first mortgage.
I'm self-employed and my tax returns look terrible. Can I still do this?
Yes. We have a home equity loan qualified on 12 months of business bank statements instead of tax returns. Half of your deposits count as income. Here is how it works.
Can I pull equity out of a rental property?
Yes, with a second mortgage underwritten on the property's rent rather than your personal income. Here is how a DSCR second works.
What happens after I ask for options?
A licensed Unified Home Loans loan officer texts you at the number you gave, usually within the hour during business hours, with what you entered already in front of them. No call center, no hand-off to another lender.
Your number is thirty seconds away.
Run it, change it, run it again. Then decide whether to talk to anyone.