EL7.AI
GeneralMedium•11 November 2026•
1 min read

US HELOC Balances See Sharpest Quarterly Jump Since 2005

Key Facts

1Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances jumped by $23 billion to reach $481 billion in Q3 2026.
2This increase represents the largest quarterly jump in home equity borrowing since 2005, according to New York Fed data.

Home equity line of credit (HELOC) balances in the United States jumped by $23 billion to reach $481 billion in the third quarter of 2026. Benzinga reported that this increase represents the largest quarterly surge in additional mortgage debt since 2005, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The trend indicates that US homeowners are increasingly tapping into their home equity to manage finances or consolidate debt despite higher interest rates. This borrowing activity coincides with broader economic data, including the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow estimate of 3.5% on November 9, 2026, and a Michigan Consumer Sentiment reading of 51 on November 6, 2026.

The US housing sector will see further data with the release of Existing Home Sales on November 12, 2026, followed by the Producer Price Index report scheduled for November 13, 2026.