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Homeowners are gaining equity, but it may be going untapped

Jul 31, 2023
A new report finds the rate of mortgage borrowers considered "equity rich" increased to 49% in the second quarter.
"Why would you refinance if you've got a mortgage of 3%, at a mortgage rate of 7%?" says Susan Wachter of the Wharton School.
Philip Pacheco/AFP via Getty Images

Why home equity lines of credit have been getting more popular

Nov 24, 2022
HELOC lending, secured by a homeowner's property, has been growing even as mortgage demand has been falling.
A sign advertises new homes at a construction site in Maryland. The mortgage market has been softening, but the market for equity-based loans has shown strength.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Could home equity lines of credit come back in 2022?

Dec 6, 2021
After a pause, HELOCs could regain popularity if mortgage interest rates rise.
If interest rates creep up in the coming year, homeowners may turn from refinancing to HELOCs.
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Homeowners are building wealth at record rates without doing a thing

Sep 8, 2021
Rising values have given homeowners a lot more equity, which they can tap for cash. They gained $1 trillion in the second quarter.
A residential development and golf course in Las Vegas. U.S. homeowners cashed in $63 billion in equity during the second quarter, according to data firm Black Knight.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Homeowners had amassed record equity as crisis began

Jul 6, 2020
Housing wealth and other protections advantage owners over renters.
A neighborhood in San Francisco. Home values have only kept rising as buyers compete for a limited supply of houses.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Getting cash out of your home is about to get harder if you have an FHA mortgage

Aug 1, 2019
A growing number of homeowners have been refinancing and pocketing the increase in their homes' values.
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Remodeling booms as housing stock ages

Mar 14, 2019
Spending on home improvement has increased by 50 percent since the recession.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

At $6 trillion, "tappable" home equity reaches new high

Sep 26, 2018
So far, homeowners are resisting cashing out.
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Home equity helping people build household wealth

Nov 24, 2016
Remember the housing crisis? Well, for many American homeowners, it’s now squarely in the rear-view mirror. A report from RealtyTrac finds that the percentage of homeowners who are underwater — meaning they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth — has fallen to about 10 percent. It was 28 percent at its […]
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