Both a HELOC and a home equity loan can be good ways to access your home equity this January, depending on your goals and financial situation.

Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) allow homeowners to tap into the value of their homes. A home equity loan is a fixed-rate, lump-sum loan that allows homeowners to borrow up to 85% of their home’s value and pay that amount back in monthly installments.

HELOC rates again came in lower this week, with the the $30,000 home equity line of credit dropping to an average of 8.36 percent — closing out 2024 with a record low for the year, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. In contrast, the average $30,000 home equity loan rate remained the same, at 8.41 percent.

What the market trends are: With current HELOC rates slightly lower, they could be the cheaper option for short-term borrowing, but rising rates could make them more expensive over time. If you prefer stability, a home equity loan's fixed rate might be worth the extra cost.

A home equity loan can be a good option to consolidate debt, as it usually carries lower interest rates and longer terms than other financing options. Advantages of using home equity loans or HELOCs to pay off debts include the streamlining of payments and lower monthly payments (compared to credit card bills,

HELOC rates becoming more affordable dovetails with another housing trend, notes Joe Zeibert, vice president of mortgage and capital markets at FICO: More homeowners are choosing to stay in their current homes and update them,

With the interest rate climate changing again, it helps borrowers to know what a good home equity loan rate is now.