Great questions.
Straight answers.

Yes—checking your personalized HELOC rate with us uses a soft credit pull, which means no impact on your score and no obligation to move forward. If you decide to continue and submit a full application, we'll request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit. It's a simple, risk-free way to explore your options and see what rate you may qualify for before taking the next step.

You may receive funds in as few as five days.³

A HELOC is a line of credit that uses your house as collateral. That's why interest rates are typically higher for personal loans than a HELOC. With a HELOC, you'd be approved for an amount that's based on your financial qualifications and home's value. Personal loans aren't secured by your home, so approval is based on your credit alone.

Not at all. Your HELOC is separate—your rate stays put.

In most cases, the process is fully digital. However, a few counties in some states require in-person closings.

Stands for Combined Loan-to-Value—a quick way to measure how much of your home's value you're already using. Think of it as your equity ratio. For example, if your mortgage is $200,000, your home's worth $400,000, and you're adding a $50,000 HELOC, your CLTV would be 62.5%. The lower your CLTV, the more equity you still have to put to work for you.

DTI stands for debt-to-income ratio. It compares how much you owe each month (including your mortgage) to how much you earn. A lower DTI means you have more financial flexibility—and lenders typically prefer to see it below 50%. Think of it as a quick snapshot of your financial leverage: the lower your DTI, the stronger your finances.

A soft credit check happens when you check your own credit or receive a prequalified offer. It helps us understand your credit profile without impacting your score. If you decide to continue and submit a full application, we'll request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

A home equity loan gives you a lump sum upfront with a fixed interest rate and set monthly payments, typically over five to 20 years. It's a straightforward option for one-time projects or debt consolidation. A HELOC, on the other hand, acts as a credit line you can draw from. With our HELOC, you'll get the best of both:

• The full amount upfront for fast access to cash
• Fixed rate
• The ability to redraw funds once you've repaid part of your balance

It's control and flexibility, wrapped in one simple solution.

Your home equity is the difference between your home's current market value and the total amount you owe on it.

In short:
Home Value – Outstanding Mortgage Balance = Your Equity

It's the portion of your home you truly own—and your most powerful source of financial leverage.

We lend on a wide range of residential properties, including:

• 1 Unit (Single Family), attached or detached.
• PUD, attached or detached.
• 2 Units
• Condominiums

Eligible properties can be your primary residence.

The following are not eligible:
Co-ops, commercially zoned real estate, multifamily properties (5+ units), manufactured or mobile homes, earth or dome homes, timeshares, log homes, houseboats, or mixed-use properties.

Additionally, properties with these parameters are not eligible:
• With title changes in the past 90 days
• In less-than-average condition
• Larger than 20 acres (or 10 acres in Texas)

We lend to homeowners whose properties are owned:
• Individually (sole ownership)
• Jointly with others
• Through a revocable trust

To qualify, your name must appear in county records as a legal owner of the property.

We're unable to lend on properties held in:
• Land trusts
• Leasehold or ground lease arrangements
• LLCs
• Life estates
• Irrevocable trusts

This ensures that every loan is backed by clear ownership—keeping your financing fast, secure, and fully compliant.

No—we don't require a traditional appraisal for a HELOC. Instead, we use Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) to estimate your home's value. AVMs deliver a fast, data-backed assessment of your property's market value—without the wait, scheduling, or cost of a physical appraisal. It's one of the ways we keep your process simple, accurate, and fast—so you can access your funds in days, not weeks. The only exception is if your HELOC is over $400k, then we will require an appraisal.

To qualify, you'll need to have sufficient equity in your home—meaning you owe less than what your property's worth.

Most lenders, including us, allow borrowing up to 85% of your home's value, minus your current mortgage balance.

We also look at key financial indicators, such as:
• Credit score and credit history
• Employment and income stability
• Existing debt and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio

Together, these factors help determine your approval, credit limit, and rate options. The process is similar to applying for a mortgage—but faster, simpler, and designed to give you clarity and control, from start to finish.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) gives you flexibility, lower rates, and control—a smarter alternative to high-interest credit cards or personal loans. That makes it ideal for managing expenses like home renovations, investments, or debt consolidation.

With our HELOC, you can choose between fixed or variable rate options— combining stability with flexibility so your financing adapts to your goals, not the other way around.

We recommend waiting at least 45 days after your refinance documents have been officially recorded with your county before applying for a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). This short waiting period ensures that your updated lien information appears correctly on both your credit profile and our property data systems—allowing us to deliver the most accurate offer possible. It's a quick pause that helps keep your financing smooth, transparent, and fully aligned with your property records.

You can apply for a HELOC 90 days after your home purchase has officially been recorded. This short waiting period allows time for your ownership to be fully processed in public records, ensuring your information is complete and accurate before we calculate your offer. It's a simple step that keeps your application smooth, verified, and ready for fast approval.

Your privacy and security are our top priorities. We use bank-level encryption, multi-layer authentication, and continuous system monitoring to protect your personal and financial information. Your data is never sold or shared without your consent, and every connection to us is fully encrypted, end to end. It's protection designed to give you confidence—so you can focus on your goals, not your data.

If you believe your personal information has been used without permission, act quickly:

1. Contact any affected creditors to alert them of the issue.
2. Place a fraud alert on your credit report through the Experian Fraud Center or by calling 1-888-397-3742.
3. File a police report to document the incident.

Then, notify us right away. Our team will escalate your case for immediate review and secure your account. We take fraud seriously—and we'll work with you to protect your identity and restore your peace of mind.