 TITLE: Home Equity Loan vs. HELOC: What’s the Difference? CONTENT: Make Sure Your Credit Is Ready\n------------------------------\nNo matter how you decide to cover your costs, whether it's with a home equity loan or HELOC, your credit will be an important factor in how much it'll ultimately cost. If possible, check your credit three to six months before submitting your application. That'll give you time to address any issues you might find and potentially improve your scores before you borrow. You can check your credit report for all three credit bureaus for free through AnnualCreditReport.com. Your free credit report and scores are also available through Experian as well. END