Tap your home equity without touching your first mortgage
You locked in a great rate. Keep it. A second mortgage lets you put your equity to work without refinancing the loan you already have — and we have paths for borrowers other lenders turn away.
Keep your existing first-lien rate
Multiple structures — lump sum or line
Paths for tougher scenarios
A lump sum, or a line of credit?
Most second-mortgage choices come down to how you want to receive the money. Here’s the quick version.
TAKE IT ALL AT ONCE
Home Equity Loan
A fixed-rate, lump-sum loan secured by your home that offers predictable monthly payments and keeps your first mortgage in place. In many cases, valuation can be completed using an Automated Valuation Model (AVM) instead of a full appraisal, helping reduce time and cost.
- Best for a known, one-time need
- Debt consolidation, a major project, a planned expense
- Same payment every month
DRAW AS YOU GO
HELOC
A revolving line you draw from when you need it — with variable and fixed-rate options. A flexible line of credit that works like a credit card tied to your home. Ideal for ongoing expenses or phased projects, with flexible access to your home’s equity.
- Best for ongoing or phased needs
- Renovations, flexible access, a safety net
- Borrow, repay, and borrow again during the draw period
Ways to put your equity to work
Choose by the shape of the money — or by your situation. Every option below leaves your first mortgage in place.
A fixed-rate, fixed-term second mortgage. Predictable from day one.
A line of credit you draw from as you go, with several line structures.
Qualify on your bank statements instead of tax returns.
A second mortgage when the condo project itself is the obstacle.
Pull equity from a rental, qualified on the property’s cash flow.
Run the Numbers
Map out your equity, test your cash flow, and check your qualification metrics before you ever speak to an advisor.
Loan-to-Value (LTV)
Interest-only (IO)
Debt-to-Income (DTI)
Turned down somewhere else?
A “no” from one lender isn’t the whole market. Self-employed income, a condo in litigation, a rental property, a credit event a few years back — these are exactly the situations we’re built to look at.
Three steps, your first mortgage untouched
Choose by the shape of the money — or by your situation. Every option below leaves your first mortgage in place.
- Tell us your goal
Consolidation, a project, cash for the next move — and a little about your property and situation.
- We match the structure
We will line up the home equity option that fits how you want the money and the scenario you’re in.
- Act with Confidence
Close your second and put your equity to work — while keeping the first-lien rate you already have.
Second-mortgage FAQ
A home equity loan gives you a single lump sum at a fixed rate with a set payment. A HELOC is a line of credit you draw from over time. Both are second mortgages that sit behind your existing first mortgage.
Yes — that’s the point of a second mortgage. Your first mortgage and its rate stay exactly as they are, and the second sits behind it.
It depends on the option, your property, and your profile. Some options reach more of your equity than others. We’ll walk you through what fits your situation.
You may still have options. Self-employed income, condo-project issues, investment properties, and past credit events are situations we’re set up to look at — talk to us before assuming the answer is no.