Borrowers Gained $1.5 Trillion in Home Equity in Q1 2024

Home equity kept growing in 2024

Equity is one of homeownership’s major financial advantages over renting.

Home equity is how many people build wealth and, when tapped into, can provide borrowers with money for renovating and remodeling, investing, an emergency fund or even paying off other debt.

Homeowners with mortgages saw a collective annual equity increase of $1.5 trillion in 2024’s first quarter, according to CoreLogic. The average borrower now sits on $304,674 in equity. See which states enjoyed the largest and smallest bumps to home equity.

The latest home equity gains

Home equity grows or shrinks in conjunction with housing prices.

In 2024’s first quarter, the average mortgaged homeowner added $27,958 in equity year-over-year. This jumped 9.6% annually and amounted to a combined $1.5 trillion gain in home equity for U.S. borrowers.

“With home prices continuing to reach new highs, owners are also seeing their equity approach the historic peaks of 2023,” said Selma Hepp, chief economist at CoreLogic. “Importantly, higher prices have also lifted some 190,000 homeowners out of negative equity, leaving only about 1.8% of those with mortgages underwater. Home equity is key to mortgage holders who have seen other homeownership costs soar, including insurance, taxes and HOA fees, as a source of financial buffer.”

Home equity changes by state

The first quarter’s home equity gains varied across the country. Borrowers in some states had gains more than double the national average, while others saw modest increases.

California led all states with an annual spike of $63,825 in 2024’s opening quarter. Massachusetts came next with $61,466; then $59,261in New Jersey, $58,075 in Hawaii, and $49,345 in Rhode Island rounded out the top five

At the other end of the spectrum, Texas borrowers saw their equity inch up $585 year-over-year. Above that came increases of $1,655 in Mississippi, $3,420 in North Dakota, $5,945 in Alaska, $8,641 in Idaho, and $8,930 in Louisiana.

The map below shows the first quarter’s estimated annualized home equity changes by state:

How can you use home equity?

Since home equity is tied up in your property, it must be converted to liquid cash in order to be used. There are three main ways to do this: a home equity loan (HEL), a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or a cash-out refinance.

With a home equity loan, you keep your existing mortgage and take out a second loan against your property. These typically have lower closing costs but may come with slightly higher interest rates compared to cash-out refis. Here is a list of everything you need for taking out a home equity loan this year.

HELOCs work similarly to credit cards, with borrowing limits that can be repaid and reused. They usually come with variable rates and low or no closing costs, and you pay interest only on the outstanding loan balance. HELOCs also have set “draw periods” after which you have to repay the remaining balance in full. Here is a full list of HELOC requirements.

With a cash-out refi, you replace your existing home loan with a new primary mortgage. The new loan’s balance will be larger than what you owed, but that difference gets returned to you as cash. Refinance closing costs average around 2-5% of the loan amount and usually get taken out of your cash back total. See if you qualify for a cash-out refi.

Once you’ve cashed out your equity, it can be used for just about anything you want. Many homeowners tap equity to complete home improvements or repairs, consolidate high-interest debt into one cheaper loan payment, or make a down payment on a vacation home or rental property.

How do I calculate my home equity?

Home equity is the amount of cash value built up in your property. As you pay down your mortgage and housing values increase, your equity grows.

To figure out your total equity, take your home’s current value and subtract your mortgage balance. If your house is worth $500,000 with a loan balance of $300,000, then you have $200,000 in equity.

Getting an estimated property value requires using an online evaluator, researching recent comparable home sales in your area, or paying for an appraisal. Your lender can assist you in this process and figure out the best way to take advantage of your equity.

How much equity can I take out of my property?

Typically, borrowers can’t cash out all the equity they built up. With exception, lenders normally prefer to keep 20% of your home’s value untouched as default protection. The remaining amount is referred to as “tappable” equity.

Based on the example in the section above, your 20% buffer comes out to $100,000 ($500,000 x 0.2). After subtracting that from your total equity, you end up with $100,000 in tappable equity ($200,000 - $100,000).

Your next steps

If you have a running list of purposes for your home’s equity, start the process of tapping into it.

The best way to figure out how much you can borrow and which loan type to use is to talk with your lender. They can guide you through property valuations, the best ways to tap your equity and which you qualify for.

Leveraging your equity is one of the biggest benefits of owning a home and a way to make your money work for you.