10 hottest housing markets for home improvement loans

Housing market conditions are prompting many older homeowners to age in place and renovate, rather than sell and purchase another home. And while some may opt to rebuild with savings or home equity lines of credit, larger projects have homeowners utilizing home improvement loans to fund their remodels, according to LendingTree.

Growing property values, rising mortgage rates and limited home inventory continue extending homeownership tenure to nearly double levels seen since the early 2000s, according to Attom Data Solutions. While that's contributing to the stifling of mortgage origination volume, it also presents an opportunity for savvy lenders to market home improvement loans and other home equity products to homeowners.

San Jose, Calif., was among the top housing markets where homeowners took out home improvement loans. Because property values in the city are so high, consumers are more inclined to stay put and renovate rather than try and afford what little is left on the market in the high-demand area.

Including the West Coast city, here's a look at the 10 housing markets using the most home equity loans. The rankings, derived from a LendingTree report, are based on an analysis of 2017 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data to measure the 50 largest cities by the volume of home improvement loans as a percentage of the total housing units in a city, according to LendingTree.

NMN032618-oklahoma.jpg
Panorama of downtown Oklahoma City
Henryk Sadura/Henryk Sadura - stock.adobe.com

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.77%
Median loan amount: $15,000
Median income: $64,000
NMN012418-san-jose.jpg
Drone photo of sunset over downtown San Jose in California
Uladzik Kryhin/Uladzik Kryhin - stock.adobe.com

San Jose, Calif.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.75%
Median loan amount: $374,000
Median income: $144,000
7saltlakecity.jpg
Winter daytime shot of Salt Lake City. Featured is the temple from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or the Mormons
David Crowther/Legacy Images - Fotolia

Salt Lake City, Utah

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.72%
Median loan amount: $130,000
Median income: $77,000
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
kanonsky - stock.adobe.com

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.70%
Median loan amount: $28,000
Median income: $69,000
NMN011618-boston.jpg
jiawangkun - stock.adobe.com

Boston, Mass.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.65%
Median loan amount: $70,000
Median income: $104,000
Portland, Ore.
Sunrise over City of Portland Oregon and Mount Hood Covered in Low Fog Banks
David Gn/David Gn - Fotolia

Portland, Ore.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.64%
Median loan amount: $199,000
Median income: $83,000
NMN092517-5-denver.jpg
The Denver skyline.
f11photo - stock.adobe.com

Denver, Colo.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.60%
Median loan amount: $184,000
Median income: $81,000
NMN051018-minneapolis.jpg
Minneapolis and the Stone Arch Bridge.
Adahm Faehn/Scruggelgreen - stock.adobe.com

Minneapolis, Minn.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.59%
Median loan amount: $60,000
Median income: $86,000
NMN053018-virginia-beach.jpg
The boardwalk and highrise hotels in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
jonbilous - stock.adobe.com

Virginia Beach, Va.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.56%
Median loan amount: $16,000
Median income: $67,000
NMN052218-sacramento.jpg
jpainting - stock.adobe.com

Sacramento, Calif.

Rate of home improvement loans: 0.55%
Median loan amount: $173,000
Median income: $89,000
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