Home Equity & Real Estate calculators

Home equity is often the largest — and cheapest — source of credit a household has, but the right way to tap it depends on your existing mortgage rate, how much you need and how long you will carry the balance. These calculators estimate what a lender may let you borrow, what a HELOC will cost during and after the draw period, and whether replacing your first mortgage with a cash-out refinance makes sense compared with adding a HELOC.

For real-estate investors, the rental property and BRRRR calculators show cash flow, cap rate and cash-on-cash return, and the DSCR calculator shows the debt service coverage ratio that non-QM lenders use to qualify rentals on the property’s income rather than your personal income.

HELOC Payment Calculator

Estimate interest-only draw-period payments and the jump when repayment begins.

Home Equity Calculator: How Much Can I Borrow?

See your equity and how much a lender may let you borrow at 80%, 85% or 90% CLTV.

Cash-Out Refinance vs HELOC Calculator

Compare the full cost of refinancing your mortgage vs keeping it and adding a HELOC.

DSCR Loan Calculator

Calculate the debt service coverage ratio lenders use for rental property loans.

Rental Property Calculator

Cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return and DSCR for a rental property.

BRRRR Calculator

Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat: cash left in the deal, cash flow and returns.

Which home equity calculator do you need?

How much could I borrow? The home equity calculator applies lender CLTV limits of 75% to 90% to your home’s value and mortgage balance.
What would the payments be? The HELOC payment calculator shows the interest-only draw payment and the jump when repayment starts, with a rate stress test.
Should I refinance instead? The cash-out refinance vs HELOC calculator compares total cost over your time horizon and finds the break-even year.
Buying a rental? The rental property calculator shows cash flow, cap rate and cash-on-cash return, and the BRRRR calculator models buying, rehabbing and refinancing to pull your cash back out.
Financing a rental? The DSCR loan calculator shows whether the rent covers the payment the way investor lenders measure it.

The number that matters most: your current mortgage rate

If your first mortgage has a low fixed rate, keeping it and borrowing only what you need with a HELOC or home equity loan is usually cheaper than refinancing everything at today’s rates. If your current rate is above the market, a cash-out refinance can lower the cost of the whole balance. Either way, remember that your home secures the debt — borrow for purposes that improve your finances, and budget for the repayment period, not just the draw period.

Home Equity & Real Estate guides

Home Equity

Cap Rate vs. Cash-on-Cash Return: How to Analyze a Rental Property

Cap rate measures the property; cash-on-cash measures your deal. Learn both, how financing changes them, and the expense assumptions that make or break a rental.

4 min read Home Equity

DSCR Loans Explained: How Real Estate Investors Qualify Without Tax Returns

DSCR loans qualify rental properties on rent instead of your income. How the ratio is calculated, typical requirements, costs, and how to compare lenders.

4 min read Home Equity

HELOC Requirements: Credit Score, Equity, DTI and What Lenders Check

What you need to qualify for a HELOC: typical credit score, equity and DTI limits, the documents lenders ask for, and how to borrow more or pay a lower rate.

5 min read Home Equity

HELOC vs. Cash-Out Refinance: How to Choose When Your Mortgage Rate Is Low

Refinancing a 3% mortgage to borrow $60,000 can cost far more than a HELOC. Learn the blended-rate test, break-even math and when a cash-out refi wins.

5 min read Home Equity

Rental Property Expenses Investors Underestimate (and How to Budget for Them)

Vacancy, repairs, big replacements, management and turnover can eat half your rent. A line-by-line budget, rules of thumb, and a worked example.

4 min read Home Equity

What Is a Good DSCR? Lender Tiers and 7 Ways to Raise Yours

A DSCR of 1.25 or higher gets the best DSCR loan terms, 1.0 is break-even, and some lenders go lower. What each level means and how to raise your ratio.

4 min read Home Equity

Your HELOC Draw Period Is Ending: 6 Options Before the Payment Jumps

When a HELOC moves from interest-only to repayment, the monthly bill can rise 20%–60% or more. Here are your options and how to compare them.

3 min read