A home-equity loan is basically a line of credit secured by your home, using your home as collateral.  When the line of credit is drawn down, the financial institution providing it places a second mortgage loan on your home until the loan is paid off, after which the you can use the loan to finance other purchases. However, if the loan is not paid off, your home could be sold to pay off the remaining debt. Interest rates on such loans are usually adjustable rather than fixed and lower than standard second mortgages or credit cards.