Over the years, owning a home has been considered a pretty safe investment. In fact, homeownership has generally been considered a good way to build wealth and boost your bottom line. That’s rarely been more true than it is today. That’s because, home prices have been climbing for the past several years and it’s helped millions of homeowners count themselves among the equity rich. For example, a new analysis from ATTOM Data Solutions shows 26.7 percent of the 54 million mortgaged homes in the US are now considered equity rich – meaning the home’s value is 50 percent more than the total amount of the loans used to finance the property. Todd Teta, chief product officer with ATTOM, says more Americans will see their equity increase as home values continue to climb. “There are notable equity gaps between regions and market segments,” Theta said. “But as home values keep climbing, homeowners are seeing their equity building more and more, while those with properties still worth a lot less than their mortgages represent just a small segment of the market.” More here.
