Nerdwallet Mortgage Calculator

Home Equity Loan Calculator

Estimate your borrowing power and monthly payments

Typically 80% to 85%
5 Years 10 Years 15 Years 20 Years 30 Years
Max Loan Amount $0.00
Est. Monthly Payment $0.00
Warning: Current mortgage balance exceeds the specified LTV limit.

How Home Equity Loans Work

A home equity loan, often called a "second mortgage," allows you to borrow against the value of your home minus what you still owe on your primary mortgage. Lenders typically allow you to borrow up to a specific Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio, usually 80% to 85% of the home's appraised value.

The Calculation Formula

To determine your maximum borrowing power, use this formula:

(Market Value × Max LTV %) – Current Mortgage Balance = Maximum Equity Loan

Example Scenario

  • Home Value: $500,000
  • LTV Limit (80%): $400,000
  • Current Mortgage Balance: $250,000
  • Potential Loan Amount: $150,000

Why Use a Home Equity Loan?

These loans are popular for debt consolidation, home improvements, or major expenses like education because they often offer lower interest rates than credit cards or personal loans. However, remember that your home serves as collateral; failure to repay could lead to foreclosure.

function calculateEquityLoan() { var homeValue = parseFloat(document.getElementById("homeValue").value); var mortgageBalance = parseFloat(document.getElementById("mortgageBalance").value) || 0; var ltvLimit = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ltvLimit").value) / 100; var interestRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("interestRate").value) / 100 / 12; var loanTermYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("loanTerm").value); var loanTermMonths = loanTermYears * 12; var resultDiv = document.getElementById("results"); var warningDiv = document.getElementById("ltvWarning"); var maxLoanDisplay = document.getElementById("maxLoanDisplay"); var monthlyPaymentDisplay = document.getElementById("monthlyPaymentDisplay"); if (!homeValue || homeValue <= 0) { alert("Please enter a valid home value."); return; } // Calculate Max Borrowing Power var totalAvailableValue = homeValue * ltvLimit; var maxLoanAmount = totalAvailableValue – mortgageBalance; resultDiv.style.display = "block"; if (maxLoanAmount 0) { var x = Math.pow(1 + interestRate, loanTermMonths); var monthlyPayment = (maxLoanAmount * x * interestRate) / (x – 1); monthlyPaymentDisplay.innerText = "$" + monthlyPayment.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}); } else { var monthlyPayment = maxLoanAmount / loanTermMonths; monthlyPaymentDisplay.innerText = "$" + monthlyPayment.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}); } } }

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