Karen Haywood Queen

R.E. Hawley is a senior writer for Bankrate. Prior to joining Bankrate’s insurance editorial team in 2024, they worked as senior writer for a popular car ownership and insurance comparison app, leading a team of over a dozen writers in creating customer-focused financial advice content on topics ranging from insurance to vehicle reliability and auto loan refinance. R.E. holds a personal lines insurance license.

Reena Thomas has been a credit cards editor for Bankrate since 2023. Her focus is on rewards cards and how to best maximize rewards. She also holds a doctorate in English Literature.

Lisa McArdle is an insurance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2023. She has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing and managing content in a variety of industries, including insurance, auto news and pop culture.

Kenneth Chavis IV is a senior wealth counselor at Versant Capital Management who provides investment management, complex wealth strategy, financial planning and tax advice to business owners, executives, medical doctors, and more.

Brian Baker covers investing and retirement for Bankrate. He is a CFA Charterholder and previously worked in equity research at a buyside investment firm. Baker is passionate about helping people make sense of complicated financial topics so that they can better plan for their financial futures.

Just two experts (reflecting a 15 percent share) said the financial system could avoid a downturn, putting the odds of a recession at 40 percent.

Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride shares his take on what will happen to HELOC and home equity loan rates in 2025.

Economists' average forecast for the Fed's peak interest rate is 5.6 percent, reflecting a target range of 5.5-5.75 percent, the highest since 2001.

This week in home equity news: Home prices slow, tech transforms homebuying, and rainy-day HELOCs. Our roundup of the most compelling stories.

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If you own a home in Washington state, especially in the Seattle area, you’re sitting on a very valuable asset.

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