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September 28, 2026 
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The housing market has been in a rut for the last few years, as owners who landed ultra-low rates during the pandemic have been reluctant to put their homes on the market. If they sell their home, after all, they would have to switch to a higher mortgage rate on their new home.
But the lull in home sales means that Americans have amassed a record $35 trillion in home equity. At the same time, credit card balances have also climbed, and some homeowners are taking out home-equity loans to help pay off that debt.
Readers recently told us they were tapping into this equity to make home improvements, to finance a second home or simply keep on hand for emergencies. “Don’t expect to ever use it, but you never know what life will hand you,” wrote a reader from Massachusetts.
Others said they were able to help their children buy a home or further their education. One reader said she used her home equity “to give my kids the ‘cash’ they need to buy their home.” But she thinks they are good for it. “We documented the transaction and they secured a mortgage a couple of months later to pay us back.”
Some readers were a little more extravagant. One reader said he took out a home-equity line of credit to pay for his wedding. “A Los Angeles wedding for 400+ guests is above $200,000,” he wrote.
As always, we’ve collected the latest money-related stories from across the Times below. Something on your mind? Drop us a note: yourmoney_newsletter@nytimes.com. Have a great week.
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