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The share of “equity-rich” homeowners has fallen to its lowest level in five years, while the number of homeowners with “seriously underwater” mortgages<\/a> is rising, according to a new report.<\/p>\n Both trends reflect housing market<\/a> challenges, although homeowners overall remain in a better position than they were prior to 2020, and the shift primarily reflects a return to pre-pandemic norms.<\/p>\n Equity-rich homeowners<\/a>\u2014defined as those who own at least 50% of their home’s value\u2014accounted for 41.1% of mortgaged residential properties in the second quarter, down from 43.3% in the first quarter, according to real estate analytics firm ATTOM<\/a>.<\/p>\n