If you dig into the numbers ( at least the prior issuances of this data) you find that the % of owners with fully paid off mortgage or good LTV ratios hasn't changed that much. However the portion of people with high LTV (little to no equity; the new buyers of the past several years ) are much more levered. Hence, combined with value reducitons the average equity decline
we end up with two classes- the housed and comfortable, and the broke
Homeowner Equity at Post WWII Low [View article]
we end up with two classes- the housed and comfortable, and the broke