If the asset is valuable enough to borrow against, and you are willing to put it at risk by borrowing against it, would you consider selling it? Is it an income producing asset (a rental house) or an asset with depreciating value (a car) or an asset with purely market based value (a painting, an antique, etc.)? I think if it is depreciating you should seriously consider selling. If it is market based, and you think the market now is good, sell it. If it is sentimental, is there anything else you have that carries similar emotions for the same person that you could keep instead?