Home Equity
Home Equity Loan as Bridge Financing: Buy Before You Sell in 2026
Using a home equity loan to buy your next home before selling? See 2026 qualification math, tax rules under TCJA/OBBBA, and how it compares to bridge loans.
2026
VA & IRRRL
VA IRRRL After Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Seasoning, Trustee Approval, and 2026 Lender Rules
VA IRRRL after Chapter 13 bankruptcy discharge in 2026: seasoning rules, trustee/court approval, the 210-day rule, 12-month plan payments, and overlays.
Cash-Out
Cash-Out Refinance to Pay Off a Reverse Mortgage (HECM) in 2026
Use a cash-out refinance to pay off a HECM reverse mortgage in 2026: 95% non-recourse cap, dual-lien release, DTI hurdles, and smarter exit paths.
Home Equity
Home Equity Loan on a Leasehold Property (2026): Ground Lease Rules, Remaining-Term Thresholds & Lender Availability
Home equity loan on a leasehold property in 2026: Fannie/Freddie/FHA remaining-term rules, ground-lease overlays, and lenders in Hawaii, Baltimore & CLT markets.
HELOC
HELOC Lifetime Interest Rate Cap Requirements Under HOEPA (2026 Guide)
Federal law requires every HELOC to disclose a lifetime maximum APR. See what HOEPA and Reg Z require, how caps are set, and what to verify in 2026.
Home Equity
Home Equity Loan With a Solar Panel UCC-1 Fixture Filing: 2026 Clearance Guide
Solar UCC-1 fixture filing blocking your home equity loan or HELOC? Learn the 2026 payoff, UCC-3 termination, and subordination paths to close on time.
Appraisals & Valuation
Home Equity Loan Appraisal Types in 2026: Full URAR vs. Drive-By, Desktop, and Hybrid
Home equity loan appraisal in 2026: full URAR vs. drive-by, desktop, and hybrid — what triggers each, cost, turn-time, and how UAD 3.6 affects you.
Home Equity
Home Equity Loan Escrow & Impound Account Rules in 2026: When You Need One, When You Can Waive It
Most home equity loans don't carry escrow. Three situations force one: a first-lien HPML, an SFHA flood zone, or a California second lien above 80% CLTV.
Cash-Out
Cash-Out Refinance to Fund a Self-Directed IRA Real Estate Purchase: Why It Almost Always Triggers a §4975 Prohibited Transaction (2026)
Cash-out refinance to fund a self-directed IRA property purchase almost always triggers an IRC §4975 prohibited transaction. See compliant paths for 2026.
Closing Process
Home Equity Loan Payoff Statement Good-Through Date: 2026 Refinance Rules
Home equity loan payoff statement good-through date rules for 2026 refinances: the 7-day federal rule, per diem interest, HELOC freezes, and expired-quote fixes.
HELOC
HELOCs on Shared-Well and Private-Road Properties: What 2026 Lenders Actually Require
HELOC on a shared well or private-road property? See 2026 lender documentation rules, easement and PRMA standards, state carve-outs, and how to cure defects.
VA & IRRRL
VA IRRRL for Surviving Spouses in 2026: Eligibility, Entitlement Restoration, and Refinancing a Deceased Veteran’s Loan
Yes, a surviving spouse can refinance a deceased veteran's VA loan via IRRRL in 2026. See eligibility, Code 06/07, funding fee waiver, and entitlement rules.