Homeowners with a mortgage saw their equity rise 13.3 percent year over year, according to CoreLogic’s Home Equity Report for the first quarter of 2018, released Thursday. The average homeowner gained $16,300 in home equity between the first quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018. That is the highest growth in home equity in four years.
“Home-price growth has accelerated in recent months, helping to build home-equity wealth and lift underwater homeowners back into positive equity,” says Frank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s chief economist.
Western states saw the largest uptick in home equity. California homeowners gained $51,000 on average in home equity, while Washington homeowners saw about $44,000 on average, in equity.
“Home equity balances continue to grow across the nation,” says Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. “In the far Western states, equity gains are fueled by a long run in the home price escalation. With strong economic growth and higher purchase demand, we expect these trends to continue for the foreseeable future.”
Source: “Homeowner Equity Report,” CoreLogic (June 7, 2018)
