https://helocpilot.com/ Independent HELOC calculators and plain-English guides to home equity — equity, payments, HELOC vs cash-out refinance, and debt consolidation. en-us Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:50:16 GMT https://helocpilot.com/uses/adu-rental-income-qualify/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/adu-rental-income-qualify/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Yes, FHA's 203(k) lets you count 50% of a not-yet-built ADU's projected rent to help you qualify. See the worked DTI math and how conventional rules differ. https://helocpilot.com/uses/california-adu-financing/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/california-adu-financing/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to finance an ADU in California: HELOC, home equity loan, or construction loan, the build cost ranges by ADU type, and why the CalHFA grant is now closed. https://helocpilot.com/uses/how-to-finance-an-adu/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/how-to-finance-an-adu/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Every way to finance an ADU compared: HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refi, construction and renovation loans, with a decision table by borrower situation. https://helocpilot.com/uses/refinance-after-building-adu/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/refinance-after-building-adu/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Built an ADU with a HELOC? Refinancing to pay it off rarely pencils if it reprices a 3% first mortgage. The keep-your-first-mortgage math, and when refi wins. https://helocpilot.com/uses/finance-adu-no-equity/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/finance-adu-no-equity/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Without equity now, a HELOC can't fund an ADU, but loans that underwrite the finished value can. See the paths and which one avoids refinancing your first. https://helocpilot.com/uses/garage-conversion-adu-financing/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/garage-conversion-adu-financing/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT A garage conversion is a small, fixed-scope build, so a HELOC's draw flexibility often goes to waste. See when a fixed home equity loan costs you less. https://helocpilot.com/uses/heloc-vs-construction-loan-adu/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/heloc-vs-construction-loan-adu/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT A HELOC usually beats a construction loan for an ADU when you have the equity: it leaves your low first mortgage alone. The worked math, and when it flips. https://helocpilot.com/rates/fomc-june-2026/ https://helocpilot.com/rates/fomc-june-2026/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The June 2026 FOMC held the fed funds rate at 3.50%–3.75%, so prime stays at 6.75% and HELOC rates don't move. But the dot plot turned hawkish — what that signals. https://helocpilot.com/uses/heloc-for-adu/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/heloc-for-adu/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Yes, you can build an ADU with a HELOC. See the draw-period vs. repayment payment math, how much you can borrow at 80% CLTV, and when a construction loan wins. https://helocpilot.com/compare/ https://helocpilot.com/compare/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Compare HELOCs, cash-out refinances, home equity loans, and equity-sharing agreements for 2026 — with blended-rate math that protects a sub-4% mortgage. https://helocpilot.com/heloc/ https://helocpilot.com/heloc/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Learn how a HELOC works: draw vs. repayment periods, prime-plus-margin pricing, interest-only math, payment shock, and what happens when the line matures. https://helocpilot.com/qualify/ https://helocpilot.com/qualify/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT What it takes to qualify for a HELOC in 2026: credit score tiers, 80-85% CLTV limits, DTI math with worked examples, income docs, and fixes for denials. https://helocpilot.com/rates/ https://helocpilot.com/rates/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT How HELOC rates are set: prime rate plus margin, Fed transmission, teaser-rate traps, fees, caps, and negotiation tactics — updated after every FOMC meeting. https://helocpilot.com/states/california/ https://helocpilot.com/states/california/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT California homeowners hold record equity. See county-by-county HELOC borrowing power, 2026 rates, Prop 13 tax angles, and CA-specific borrower protections. https://helocpilot.com/uses/ https://helocpilot.com/uses/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Nine high-ROI ways to use a HELOC — debt consolidation, renovations, ADUs — plus three uses to avoid, with real savings math at today's 7.47% average rate.