A new report from ATTOM Data Solutions looks at affordability, foreclosures, and underwater mortgages in an effort to determine which housing markets across the country are most vulnerable to decline. Its findings provide a map of exactly where the housing market is strongest and where there may be weaknesses. So where are the country’s strongest markets? Well, the report shows the vast majority of the country is on good footing. Among the 578 included counties, the South was the strongest region with 18 of the 50 least vulnerable markets. Tennessee alone had seven of the 50 strongest housing markets. The Midwest followed with 13, while 12 were located in states across New England. The weakest markets were located in the New York and Chicago metro areas, along with central California. Rob Barber, ATTOM’s CEO, says even the most at-risk markets aren’t at risk of a crash. “It is important to stress that getting onto the most-vulnerable list doesn’t signal an imminent crash for any local market,” Barber said. “It just means that they have greater potential tripwires that could lead to a decline.” (source)
