A straight answer
Can I pay off my credit cards with the equity in my home?
The direct answer
Yes. If you own a home in California with equity in it, I offer a HELOC that can pay off your credit cards directly at closing. Your first mortgage stays as it is. One line takes the place of the card balances you clear.
I'm Zach von der Linden (NMLS 1652805), a mortgage broker with West Capital Lending, based in San Clemente. I put the financing together, and I walk you through it before you decide anything. This page is for homeowners in California.
Curious whether your cards could be paid off at closing? Text me what you owe on the cards, what you owe on the home and roughly what it is worth.
This situation is worked out in a short conversation. No credit pull happens from a conversation. The options check is a soft credit pull with no impact on your credit score for the first look. Texts go to Zach's cell.
Zach von der Linden, mortgage broker and Branch Manager, West Capital Lending · NMLS 1652805
Wholesale pricing · California, Utah, Oregon and Arizona
5.0 across 66 reviews on Experience.com (read on 2026-09-24) · Text reaches Zach directly · Last updated 2026-10-27
Your cards today, one line after closing
Credit cards today
Several cards. Several statements. Several due dates.
One HELOC after closing
The cards are paid off directly at closing. One line takes their place.
Your first mortgage stays as it is. The HELOC is paid in addition to it.
What has to be true?
You own a home in California with equity in it.
The CFPB says that if you already have a mortgage, a HELOC is a loan you pay in addition to your first mortgage (CFPB, home equity loan or HELOC).
Your first mortgage does not change.
The line has to fit your budget next to your first mortgage.
How much you can borrow, with your first mortgage counted in, is on its own page.
What gets paid off at closing?
With the HELOC I offer, your credit cards, car loan and personal loans can be paid off directly at closing.
Once the line funds, you can also use the money however you choose.
That includes paying a card off yourself, or keeping cash beyond the payoffs.
What do I check?
I start with the home, the cards and what you want the line to do.
The lender looks at your credit score.
It looks at your history of paying on time.
It looks at your debt-to-income ratio.
It looks at the equity in your home.
The lender still verifies you can repay.
If this is not the right move for you, I say so.
What are the limits?
The CFPB says "using a home equity loan to consolidate credit card debt is risky. If you don't pay back the loan, you could lose your home in foreclosure" (CFPB).
The balances you pay off become one debt secured by your house.
The CFPB says to compare the whole cost, not one month of it.
If the cards fill back up, you owe the cards and the line together.
Consolidation works once.
Nothing on this page is a promise. The lender reviews the home, your credit and your income before anything closes.
What should I send first?
- Each card balance you want paid off.
- Your first mortgage statement.
- A rough value for the home.
- Whether you want cash beyond the payoffs.
The longer walk-through, with the alternatives that leave the house out of it, is on Should I use home equity to pay off credit cards?
Questions people ask next
Do I have to refinance my first mortgage to pay off my cards?
No. The HELOC is paid in addition to your first mortgage, which does not change.
Which balances can be paid off at closing?
With the HELOC I offer, your credit cards, car loan and personal loans can be paid off directly at closing. Text me the list and I will tell you how it would go.
Can I pay a card off myself after the line funds?
Yes. Once the line funds, you can use the money however you choose.
What happens if I run the cards back up?
Then you owe the cards again and the HELOC as well, and the HELOC is secured by your house. Consolidation works once.
Can I lose my home if I do not pay back the HELOC?
Yes. The CFPB says that if you do not pay back a home equity loan used to consolidate credit card debt, you could lose your home in foreclosure.
Does texting you pull my credit?
No. A text or a call does not pull your credit.
How much can I borrow against my home?
That is on its own page, with your first mortgage counted in. Text me what the home is worth and what you owe on it, and I will run it for you.
What clients say
Zach was so easy to work with. He made a stressful situation into a very positive experience for us and did push us one way or another. He listened to what we hoped we could accomplish and made it happen.
Word for word from Experience.com. Read all reviews.
Sources and checked dates
Sources: Confirmed by Zach, 2026-10-22 (checked 2026-10-22) · Confirmed by Zach, October 2026 (checked 2026-10-19) · CFPB, What is the difference between a Home Equity Loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)? (last reviewed August 28, 2026) (checked 2026-10-19) · Funding lender’s public HELOC product page (read 2026-09-10; lender not named on this site) (checked 2026-09-10) · CFPB, What do I need to know if I'm thinking about consolidating my credit card debt? (last reviewed September 2, 2026) (checked 2026-10-19) · CFPB, What is a home equity loan? (checked 2026-09-10).
Show each claim on this page, what it depends on, and the date it was checked (6)
| What we say, and what it depends on | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| With the HELOC Zach offers, credit cards, a car loan and personal loans can be paid off directly at closing. | Confirmed by Zach, 2026-10-22 | 2026-10-22 |
| Once a HELOC Zach offers funds, the borrower can use the money however they want, with no use restrictions. | Confirmed by Zach, October 2026 | 2026-10-19 |
| CFPB, What is the difference between a Home Equity Loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)? (last reviewed August 28, 2026): "For both home equity loans and HELOCs, if you already have a mortgage these new loans would be considered second mortgages that you'd need to pay in addition to your first mortgage. With a home equity loan, you receive the money you are borrowing in a lump sum payment". "With a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), you can borrow or draw money multiple times from an available maximum amount." | CFPB, What is the difference between a Home Equity Loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)? (last reviewed August 28, 2026) | 2026-10-19 |
| The lender’s public HELOC page lists what it looks at to qualify: a strong credit score, a consistent payment history, a manageable debt-to-income ratio, and sufficient available equity in the home. | Funding lender’s public HELOC product page (read 2026-09-10; lender not named on this site) | 2026-09-10 |
| CFPB, What do I need to know if I'm thinking about consolidating my credit card debt? (last reviewed September 2, 2026): "using a home equity loan to consolidate credit card debt is risky. If you don't pay back the loan, you could lose your home in foreclosure." | CFPB, What do I need to know if I'm thinking about consolidating my credit card debt? (last reviewed September 2, 2026) | 2026-10-19 |
| The CFPB says home equity loans may carry upfront fees and costs, so compare more than the monthly payment, and that someone considering one to pay off debts should explore alternatives that do not put the home at risk of a forced sale. | CFPB, What is a home equity loan? | 2026-09-10 |
Written for and accountable to: Zach von der Linden, Mortgage broker and Branch Manager, West Capital Lending.
Last updated 2026-10-27.
Verify him: NMLS Consumer Access, ID 1652805 · 66 reviews on Experience.com.
Sources for product claims are listed on this page, with the date each was checked.
Want to look at paying off your cards with your equity?
No credit pull happens from a conversation. The options check is a soft credit pull with no impact on your credit score for the first look. Text Zach first so he can review your situation. The online check covers one HELOC program, not every option he may be able to arrange. Texts go to Zach's cell.