larger than $80,000. The total amount of equity that can be withdrawn with a cash-out refinance is dependent on the mortgage lender, the cash-out refinance program, and other relative factors, such as the value of the home. Differences between Cashout Refinance and Home Equity Loan A home equity loan is a separate loan on top of a first mortgage. A cash-out refinance is a replacement of a first mortgage. The interest rates on a cash-out refinancing are usually, but not always, lower than the interest rate on a home equity loan. The borrower pays the mortgage refinance closing costs. Generally, the borrower does not pay closing costs for a home equity loan. Closing costs can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars. Related topics The opposite, "rate-and-term" refinancing, occurs when a better note rate, better loan terms, or both become available to an owner which restructures their debt portfolio as it relates to liens held against a subject property. Consolidating multiple loans into one loan without extracting cash is also a rate-and-term. Loan-to-value limits, and other factors in loan approval determine how much cash can be taken out from the equity of any one property. See also California Proposition 13 (1978), U.S. Real estate bubble Inflation Home equity References Mortgage Banking Financial markets