What a HELOC actually is
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a revolving credit line secured by your home, similar in spirit to a credit card but backed by your equity and priced far lower. You’re approved for a limit; you draw what you need, when you need it, and you only pay interest on what you’ve drawn.
People use HELOCs for the things that don’t fit neatly into a savings account: a renovation, paying off higher-rate debt, covering a gap between selling one property and closing on the next, or funding a down payment on an investment property.