The median homeowner who asked me about tapping equity this year wanted $70,000 — and among those who shared full numbers, the typical request was about 31 cents of every equity dollar they had. That's from my own inquiry data: 166 home-equity inquiries received between mid-April and September 1, 2026, aggregated with no individual identified. Most published equity statistics describe loans that closed; almost nobody publishes what borrowers ask for before a lender ever shapes the answer. That's what this is — and some of it surprised me, starting with the fact that roughly half of these homeowners reported credit below 620, while the small group who found me through ChatGPT reported median home values near $1 million. Here's the whole picture.
How much equity do people actually ask to tap?
The median request was $70,000 (111 inquiries stated an amount). The full spread:
| Requested amount | Share of inquiries |
|---|---|
| Under $25,000 | 15% |
| $25,000-$50,000 | 14% |
| $50,000-$100,000 | 32% |
| $100,000-$200,000 | 24% |
| $200,000+ | 14% |
The middle of the market is unmistakably the $50,000-$100,000 draw — a kitchen-plus-bath renovation, a serious debt consolidation, or a down payment on something. The interquartile range ran $35,000 to $100,000. Median reported home value across inquiries was $387,500.
Requests scaled with credit: homeowners reporting 700+ scores asked for a median of $100,000, while those reporting sub-620 scores asked for a median of $65,000. People seem to calibrate their ask to what they believe they can get — which is worth knowing if you've been assuming your own number is unusually big or small. It probably isn't.
What do homeowners actually want the money for?
Among the 149 inquiries that stated a purpose:
| Purpose | Share |
|---|---|
| Home improvement | 39% |
| Debt consolidation | 28% |
| Cash for other needs | 22% |
| Just exploring options | 8% |
| Buying an investment | 3% |
Home improvement leading is consistent with the national "locked-in" story — homeowners sitting on low first-mortgage rates improving the house they have instead of moving. The debt-consolidation number is the one I watch: those borrowers asked for a median of $50,000, which tells you how much high-rate consumer debt a typical consolidating household is carrying in 2026. Renovators asked for more — a median of $80,000.
What do these borrowers' credit scores really look like?
This is the number that should reframe how you read every "average HELOC borrower" statistic. Of the 152 inquiries reporting a credit range:
- Below 620: 49%
- 620-699: 22%
- 700+: 22%
- Not sure: 6%
Half the people actively trying to reach their equity report credit below the floor where most HELOC programs start. Industry averages describe approved borrowers and look pristine; the inquiry side of the funnel looks like real life. One honest caveat: most of these inquiries came from social-media lead ads, and ad audiences shape who shows up — this is my funnel, not a census. But the gap between who wants equity access and who standard products serve is exactly why I keep home equity investments (HEIs) in the toolkit: equity-based qualification exists precisely for the half of this table that scores below 620.
How much of their equity do people leave untouched?
Among inquiries with complete numbers (36 shared home value and mortgage balance; 21 of those also stated a request), the profile is more conservative than the headlines suggest:
- Median reported mortgage balance: $188,000 against a median equity position of $282,500 — a median current loan-to-value around 44%
- Median request-to-equity ratio: 31% — and 86% asked for half or less of their stated equity
- Not one usable inquiry asked for more equity than they reported having
- Median combined LTV after the requested draw: 62%; only about a quarter would exceed 80%
To make that concrete: a homeowner at the medians — $387,500 home, $188,000 balance — asking the median $70,000 would land at a combined LTV around 67%. That's an illustrative example, not an offer or a rate/APR quote, but it shows the shape: people aren't trying to drain the tank. They're asking for a measured slice and leaving a cushion, whether by prudence or by instinct.
Who is asking through AI assistants like ChatGPT?
Thirteen of the 166 inquiries — about 8% — arrived through ChatGPT referral links, and they are a different population:
- 69% reported 700+ credit (none below 620, versus 56% below 620 among social-ad inquiries)
- Median reported home value: $990,000 — about 2.5x the overall median
- Median stated equity: $770,000, at a median LTV around 44%
- Median request: $100,000, with purposes skewing to home improvement and buying investment property
People who research their mortgage through an AI assistant, then click through to a human, are so far the highest-equity, highest-credit borrowers in my data. Thirteen inquiries is a small cohort and I label it as such — but the direction is striking, and it matches what I see on calls: AI-referred borrowers arrive with the comparison half-done and better questions.
How fast do people want the money?
The current intake form asks about timing and income (45 responses so far):
- 71% wanted funds within two weeks. Another 16% said within 30 days. Only 11% were just researching.
- 49% described themselves as retired, 33% as W-2 employees, and 13% as self-employed.
Read those together and a profile emerges that the mortgage industry under-discusses: retirees with meaningful equity and immediate needs — exactly the borrowers that income-documentation-heavy products fit worst, and a big part of why equity-based options exist.
Geographically, inquiries came from across my licensed footprint — California led at 22%, with Washington (14%), Utah (12%), Oregon (11%), Alabama (10%), and Arizona (10%) close behind.
Where these numbers come from (methodology)
These statistics are computed from 166 home-equity inquiries received by Mathis Mortgage between April 15 and September 1, 2026, through social-media lead forms and my website (one internal test record was excluded). All figures are aggregate statistics — no individual inquiry is identified, and any segment with fewer than three inquiries is suppressed or folded into a broader category. Dollar figures, home values, and credit ranges are self-reported by consumers and unverified; not every inquiry answered every question, so each statistic states its own sample size where it differs from 166. These are inquiries, not applications or closed loans, and the mix reflects where my inquiries come from (primarily social-media advertising, plus organic and AI-assistant referrals) — it is a real window into demand, not a national census. Requested amounts outside a $1,000-$3,000,000 sanity range were treated as unusable rather than guessed at.
Quick answers
How much do people typically borrow against home equity? In this dataset of 166 inquiries (April-September 2026), the median request was $70,000, and $50,000-$100,000 was the most common range at 32%. Borrowers reporting 700+ credit asked for a median of $100,000; sub-620 borrowers asked for a median of $65,000.
What percentage of home equity do people tap? Among inquiries sharing complete numbers, the median request equaled about 31% of stated equity, and 86% asked for half or less. The median combined loan-to-value after the requested draw was 62%.
What do most people use home equity for? Home improvement led at 39%, debt consolidation followed at 28% (median request $50,000), and general cash needs took 22%. Only 3% were explicitly buying investment property.
Can people with low credit scores still access home equity? Half of these inquiries reported credit below 620 — below most HELOC floors. Options like home equity investments qualify on equity rather than credit, which is why they exist for exactly this half of the market — though qualification always depends on your equity position, the property, and the program's underwriting.
Talk to Randy
Your number is probably more normal than you think — and the right product for it depends on your equity, your credit, and your timeline, not a headline average. Send me your home value, mortgage balance, and what you're trying to do, and I'll show you where you sit against real data and which doors actually open at your profile. No credit pull just to talk — a credit check comes later only if you apply. No obligation either way. Call or text (949) 990-6030, or schedule a call. Full state licensing and NMLS/DRE details are always posted at mathismortgage.com/licensing.
Disclosures: Randy Mathis, NMLS #1516760 | DRE #02236644. Lumin Lending, Inc., NMLS #2716106 | DRE #02291443. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, MD, MI, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA. This is not a commitment to lend or a rate/APR quote. Statistics above are aggregate figures computed from consumer inquiries received by Mathis Mortgage between April 15 and September 1, 2026; values are self-reported and unverified, describe inquiries rather than approved or closed loans, and are provided for educational purposes only. The worked figure above is an illustrative example, not an offer of credit; available amounts, products, and terms depend on your situation, the property, and program underwriting. Loan products are subject to credit approval, income and property qualification, and program terms. Home equity investments are not loans; program terms and state availability vary by investor and change over time. Information current as of September 18, 2026.
