U.S. homeowners are sitting on a record $34.5 trillion in home equity, and more are tapping that mountain of accessible assets.

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Home equity available to homeowners has risen by $600 million since the first quarter of 2024, according to LendingTree. Home equity loan originations, including closed-end equity loans and lines of credit, or HELOCs, have risen 7.2% in the last year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The average size of a home-equity loan offer from lenders in the first half of the year in Maryland was $168,000, and $123,000 in Virginia. Nationally, the average was $140,000.

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