Updated over 4 years ago on . Most recent reply
High utilization of HELOC impact on Credit Score
This has been discussed previously on Bigger Pockets and online, but answers are unclear (the online blog entries conflict wildly, see below for a couple of examples). I'm trying to get a handle on how much a high utilization rate on a HELOC will impact a person's credit score. I need to be sure I don't mess up my ability to refinance out of a construction loan in a few months. Does anyone have firsthand experience? I'm assuming a large HELOC ($50K+ available credit line) isn't factored into credit utilization the same as a credit card, but it would be great to know if we're talking a 15-20 vs 100 point drop when the utilization rate is really near 100%.
Special thanks to anyone who has used a HELOC who is willing to share information. I'd love to know the limit on the HELOC, utilization rate/amount, and the amount of the credit score impact. General comments/experiences are certainly welcome too, of course. Thanks in advance.