Equity-Rich, Equity-Poor Markets

American homeowners hit a five-year high in the third quarter of 2018, as about 14.5 million U.S. properties were "equity-rich," meaning the property's market value was more than its current loan value.

That's according to the Q3 2018 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report by property data analytics firm Attom Data Solutions. Current home equity levels are up by more than 433,000 year-over-year and matches fourth quarter 2013 recorded levels. These equity-rich homes account for 25.7 percent of total mortgaged properties in the nation, 0.6 percent growth over the previous quarter, but 0.7 percent less than in the same quarter of the previous year.

The report also shows more than 4.9 million U.S. properties were seriously underwater — where the combined estimated balance of loans secured by the property was at least 25 percent higher than the property’s estimated market value, representing 8.8 percent of all U.S. properties with a mortgage. That 8.8 percent share of seriously underwater homes was down from 9.3 percent in the previous quarter but still up from 8.7 percent in Q3 2017.

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