HELOC & equity take-out financing.
The wealth is in the walls — refinance to 80% of value, revolve to 65%, or add a second that leaves a great first mortgage alone. BC and Alberta.
Home equity is most Canadians' largest asset and their worst-organized one: it sits idle for decades, then gets accessed in a panic on whatever terms the bank offers that week. The structure question matters more than the rate question — refinance, HELOC, readvanceable, or a second that protects a great existing mortgage — because the wrong structure costs you either flexibility you'll want or a first-mortgage rate you'll never see again. We run the math on all of them before you commit to any of them.
Every way to put equity to work.
One new mortgage to 80% of value — cash out for the next property, the renovation, or the plan.
A revolving line secured by the home — borrow, repay, re-borrow as life requires.
Mortgage plus line in one structure: every principal payment frees new borrowing room automatically.
Draw as the project progresses instead of borrowing the whole budget on day one.
Equity redeployed into investments — structured cleanly, coordinated with your advisor and accountant.
The rental or the recreation property funded from equity you already own.
A HELOC or second behind your existing low-rate mortgage — access equity without breaking a good first.
For 55+ homeowners, reverse structures release equity with no required monthly payments — a different product with its own rules.
Three ways to access the same equity.
Same house, same equity — three structures with different costs, flexibility, and consequences for the mortgage you already have.
The clean-slate option. The math to check first: if your current rate is excellent, the penalty and repricing of the whole balance can cost more than a second-position option that leaves it alone.
The Swiss-army option — and the chassis for readvanceable strategies where principal payments continuously free investable room. Flexibility cuts both ways: it never forces you to pay it off.
Surgical equity access: the 2% first mortgage stays untouched, the second does one job, and it's structured to be refinanced away at the first's renewal.
Ceilings and pricing are typical ranges for illustration — last reviewed July 2026. Run your numbers with the equity take-out calculator, Manulife One calculator, or Smith Manoeuvre calculator.
Files like yours.
Common equity-access questions.
How much equity can I actually access?+
The standard ceilings: a refinance or combined mortgage-plus-HELOC structure can reach 80% of the home's appraised value, and the revolving HELOC portion within it is capped at 65%. On a $1,000,000 home with a $400,000 mortgage, that's up to $400,000 of accessible room — subject to qualifying under the stress test.
HELOC or refinance — which is right?+
Purpose decides. One-time need with a rate reset attached: refinance. Recurring or uncertain needs — renovations in stages, investment opportunities, a safety line: HELOC. Both at once: a readvanceable structure. And if your existing rate is excellent, a second-position option that leaves it untouched often beats both.
What is a readvanceable mortgage?+
A mortgage and a line of credit sharing one 80% ceiling: as each payment reduces the mortgage principal, the line's available room grows by the same amount automatically. It's the chassis for strategies like the Smith Manoeuvre, where that freed room is invested monthly — see our Smith Manoeuvre calculator for the full mechanics.
Can I get a HELOC without breaking my current mortgage?+
Frequently, yes — as a second-position line behind your existing mortgage, from the same lender or a different one. It's the standard play when your current rate is too good to touch: the first stays, the line does the new work, and nothing reprices.
Is borrowing against my home to invest a good idea?+
It can be powerful and it is never free of risk: the loan is certain, the returns aren't. Done properly — interest tracked for deductibility, structure kept clean, your advisor and accountant in the loop — it's a legitimate wealth strategy. We model it honestly, including the versions where it loses.
Do I have to pass the stress test to access my own equity?+
For bank refinances and HELOCs, yes — you qualify at the greater of your contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%. Where income doesn't stress-test but equity is strong, Alternative and private lanes price the file on the property instead — a bridge, not a destination.
What does accessing equity cost?+
A refinance may carry a penalty on the old mortgage plus legal and appraisal costs; a standalone HELOC or second is usually cheaper to set up. The honest comparison is total cost against the alternative — run your scenario with our equity take-out calculator before deciding.
Unlocking equity? Have these ready.
Your current mortgage's prepayment terms are the first thing we read — they decide which structures are even worth pricing.
- Current mortgage statement — balance, rate, maturity date, and prepayment terms
- Property tax bill and a realistic sense of the home's value — we can order the appraisal
- Proof of income — pay stubs and job letter, or business documents if self-employed
- T1s and Notices of Assessment, last 2 years
- What the funds are for — purpose shapes the structure (and the tax treatment)
- List of debts being consolidated, if any — balances and payments
- 90-day account history where funds move between accounts
- Void cheque and photo ID
The equity's already yours. Structure it right.
Tell us the home's value, the mortgage balance and rate, and what the money's for — we'll show you all three structures priced against each other.