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Does Negative Equity Really Matter?

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Services for Real Estate Pros

home_underwater2_200Does Negative Equity Really Matter?

Just because you owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth doesn't necessarily mean that you are no longer able to afford your mortgage.

For many who bought their homes during the housing boom, little has changed for them financially other than what the appraiser has determined on paper.

 

Does Negative Equity Really Matter?

At the end of the 3rd Quarter, just over 22% of homeowners were "underwater"... what has changed for these homeowners?...their attitude has changed.

 

Does Negative Equity Really Matter?

It is incredibly discouraging to see the value of the biggest purchase in your life decreasing due to no fault of your own.

Homeowners with negative equity are most likely going to have a different attitude than homeowners with equity in their homes. For most "underwater" homeowners, they will not see their equity return for many years.

Several of these homeowners will have the "attitude of a renter" ... which means they are not likely to invest in home improvements.

 

Does Negative Equity Really Matter? ... Well of course it does

The best way to bring back the positive attitude of "underwater" homeowners is to reduce their mortgage principal to the Current Market Value.

 

Peace in the Neighborhood is possible with Mortgage Note Reduction

 

Bill Pohl
Tetra Homes, Inc. - Loveland, OH

MJ - Why would financial institutions reduce the mortgage if the homeowner is current in their payment? Perhaps I can understand it's a option to consider if the mortgage is way higher than the value of the house, but not everybody is "way" underwater.

Jan 01, 2011 08:54 PM
MJ Anton
Ormond Beach, FL

@ Bill...Banks/Lenders will not reduce the principal "one by one" because it's not cost effective...but when they "pool" hundreds of mortgages together they are willing to remove the "toxic" assets off their books so they can free-up capital to lend.  Even though a borrower is on time w/ payments the loan is considered toxic if the underlying value securing the loan is less than the loan amount.  We have found that banks/lenders are "not open" unless the loan is at least 25% underwater.

Jan 02, 2011 08:56 AM