Home equity rates posted broad gains this week. The $30,000 home equity line climbed 16 basis points to 7.26%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the five-year $30,000 home equity loan jumped 12 basis points to 8.03%. Even with this week’s increase, home equity rates are still the most affordable they’ve been in years. Roger Boschulte, head of vehicle and home lending products at Bank of America, points to two factors supporting demand for home equity borrowing. “If you look at tappable equity, we’re still north of $11 trillion, which is close to record levels. That’s one aspect that’s helping to fuel origination volumes within the home equity space,” he says. “The other notable tailwind is the lock-in effect from the low mortgage rates fueled by pandemic-era policies.…