Reverse mortgages, HELOCs, home-equity loans, downsizing — every way to turn your home into income, with the real numbers and the real catch. No sales pitch, no lead form, no “protect your home now.”
tax-free cash you never repay while you live there
upfront cost, plus a balance that grows every month against your estate
Lender calculators show the cash and hide the cost. We show proceeds and upfront fees, ongoing insurance, and how the balance erodes what you leave behind.
Numbers and rules come from HUD/FHA, the CFPB, and public rate data — cited on the page, not lifted from a lender brochure.
We don’t originate loans. Sometimes the honest answer is “don’t” — a HELOC or downsizing costs far less. We’ll say so.
The five situations where it genuinely helps — and the ones where it quietly costs your family the house.
A plain, balanced accounting — no “unlock your wealth” spin, no doom.
Your proceeds and your costs, in your browser. No name, no phone number.
Which way to tap equity actually fits your age, your plans, and your budget.