“UNDERWATER” or “UPSIDE DOWN” on mortgage means ………

the borrowers owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth.  Texas has 10.1% and 5.4 in near-negative equity loans at the end of 1st quarter 2011, according to CoreLogic data compiled by Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Jim Gaines.  Nationally there were 22.7% of residential properties with a mortgage with negative equity.  Down a bit from 4th quarter 2010.  Additionally 2.4 million borrowers have less than 5% equity, referred to as near-negative equity.  Negative equity and near-negative equity mortgages accounted for 27.7% of all residential properties with a mortgage nationwide.  Texas ranked 33rd out of 44 states for which the data was reported.