Broward Mortgages Are Underwater

How long will it take for use to get out of this?

54 percent of Broward mortgages are underwater

 February 23, 2010

Half of all residential mortgage holders in Broward County owe more than their homes are worth, according to year-end data from First American CoreLogic.

Roughly 54 percent of Broward mortgage holders – 246,675 homeowners – are “underwater.” In l Palm Beach County, 45.4 percent of mortgage holders – 157,544 homeowners -- have so-called negative equity.

Most people who owe more than their homes are worth bought at or near the peak of the housing boom, sometime between 2004 and 2006. Some also pulled equity out of their homes by refinancing.

"Negative equity is a significant drag on both the housing market and on economic growth," said Mark Fleming, chief economist with First American CoreLogic. "It is driving foreclosures and decreasing mobility for millions of homeowners."

Analysts say borrowers are more likely to bail on an underwater mortgage, adding to the housing market's woes.

Nationally, 11.3 million mortgage holders owe more than the house is worth, CoreLogic said. The firm says negative equity is concentrated in five states: Nevada (70 percent of all of its mortgaged properties), Arizona (51 percent), Florida (48 percent), Michigan (39 percent) and California (35 percent).

Last month, Zillow.com said about four in 10 single-family mortgage holders in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties were underwater. Unlike Zillow, CoreLogic factors in condominiums to its report

 

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