175,000 more homes wee underwater in the latest report

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• Cotality report shows average U.S. homeowner holds $307,000 in equity

• National equity fell by $141.5 billion year over year, with 175,000 more homes underwater

• Northeast homeowners see gains while Florida, D.C., and Montana face steepest losses

Homeowner equity gains have slowed across the United States, with more borrowers falling into negative equity as home price growth stalls, according to a new report from property analytics firm Cotality.

The Homeowner Equity Report for the second quarter of 2025 shows the average U.S. borrower with a mortgage holds about $307,000 in equity still the third highest figure in history. Thats up $124,000 compared with the start of the pandemic in 2020. But overall borrower equity slipped by $141.5 billion, or 0.8%, year over year, bringing total U.S. net equity to $17.5 trillion.

Home prices this year have experienced the slowest rate of growth since the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, said Cotality Chief Economist Dr. Selma Hepp. As appreciation remains modest and even declines in some markets, home equity accumulation is projected to follow suit.

Year over year, homeowners lost an average of $9,200 in equity, the report found. That pushed the share of mortgaged homes in negative equity from 1.7% to 2%, representing 175,000 more households underwater. Still, compared with the first quarter of 2025, negative equity actually dropped by 3.3% thanks to seasonal spring price increases.

What's next?

The outlook remains mixed: 144,000 homes could regain equity if prices rise 5%, while 242,000 could fall underwater if prices decline 5%. Cotalitys forecast calls for a more modest 3% increase in home prices by June 2026.

Regional patterns are stark. Homeowners in the Northeast continue to see gains, led by Connecticut ($37,400), New Jersey ($36,200), and Rhode Island ($31,200). By contrast, 32 states posted losses, with the biggest drops in the District of Columbia ($-34,400), Florida ($-32,100), and Montana ($-26,900).

Metro-level data shows Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are among the least affected markets. In contrast, areas such as McAllen, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Cape Coral and Ocala, Florida have seen sharp increases in negative equity, partly due to falling home prices and the impact of natural disasters.

The next Homeowner Equity Report is scheduled for release December 11, 2025.

What it means for homeowners

• Equity cushion shrinking: Many borrowers still hold significant equity, but year-over-year declines show that safety net is narrowing in some markets.

• Risk of going underwater: With more homes slipping into negative equity, homeowners planning to sell or refinance may face challenges if prices soften further.

• Regional divide: Northeastern states continue to deliver strong equity gains, while parts of Florida and the Mountain West are seeing steep losses.

Negative equity explained

What it is:
Negative equity, often called being underwater, happens when a home is worth less than the balance owed on its mortgage. For example, if a home is valued at $250,000 but the owner still owes $270,000, that homeowner is $20,000 underwater.

Why it matters:

• Limits refinancing options, since lenders may be unwilling to approve new loans on an overvalued property

• Makes it harder to sell a home without taking a loss

• Can trap homeowners in place if they need to move for work or family reasons

What homeowners can do:

• Stay put: Negative equity isnt always a problem if you plan to stay in your home and keep making payments

• Watch the market: Modest home price gains can restore equity over time

• Avoid risky loans: Be cautious with cash-out refinances or home equity loans if values are falling

• Seek help if needed: Programs from lenders or government agencies may offer relief for underwater borrowers in hardship situations

The bottom line:
Negative equity levels remain relatively low by historic standards, but increases in certain regions highlight risks if home prices dip further.

New research shows tiny airborne particles speed up the damage in Alzheimers brains

• Living in areas with higher levels of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is linked to more severe buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in Alzheimers disease.

• The study used post-mortem brain tissue from over 600 individuals, combined with pollution mapping, to compare those exposures and brain pathology.

• Even just one year of higher exposure was associated with faster cognitive decline, worse judgment, and more rapid Alzheimers progression.

We already know air pollution isnt great for our lungs and heart.

Now, a study from Penn Medicine suggests it also accelerates the damage in Alzheimers disease.

The research makes a clear case that fine particulate matter in the air (PM2.5) doesnt just raise dementia risk it appears to make Alzheimers neuropathology worse, and speeds up symptoms like memory loss and trouble with daily tasks.

This study shows that air pollution doesnt just increase the risk of dementiait actually makes Alzheimers disease worse, researcher Edward Lee, M.D., Ph.D., said in a news release.

As researchers continue to search for new treatments, its important to uncover all of the factors that contribute to the disease, including the influence of the environment in which they live.

How the study was done

The researchers studied more than 600 brains donated to the Penn Medicine Brain Bank. These were brains from people who had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease.

They also collected data about how much PM2.5 pollution each person had been exposed to based on where they lived. To measure pollution, researchers used a mix of satellite data and local air quality monitors.

The team focused on amyloid plaques and tau tangles the two kinds of protein build-ups in the brain that are hallmarks of Alzheimers disease. These protein deposits are thought to disrupt brain communication and contribute to cognitive decline.

The researchers also reviewed medical records to see how fast each persons cognition (thinking, memory) and daily functioning got worse.

The results

The findings were pretty striking. For every 1 microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 exposure (a small rise), there was a 19% higher chance of more severe amyloid and tau buildup.

Additionally, people living in more polluted areas showed faster cognitive and functional decline. That means things like memory loss, trouble speaking, impaired judgment, and difficulty with personal care set in more quickly.

An important detail: even one year of elevated pollution exposure showed measurable effects on brain pathology.

The study also notes some limitationsit didnt measure each persons exact exposure (for instance inside their homes, or workplace exposures), so there could be additional pollution effects not captured.

In the United States, air pollution is at the lowest levels in decades, but even just a year living in an area with high levels of pollution can have a big impact on a persons risk for developing Alzheimers disease, Dr. Lee said. It underscores the value of environmental justice efforts that focus on reducing air pollution to improve public health.

What you can do to lower your risk

While we cant always control the air we breathe, there are some practical steps you can take to reduce exposure and protect your brain health:

• Check your local air quality. Apps like AirNow or most weather apps show daily air quality. If levels are unhealthy, try to limit time outdoors.

• Use air filters at home. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can reduce fine particles indoors, especially if you live near busy roads or industrial areas.

• Close windows on high-pollution days. Keeping doors and windows shut can help prevent polluted outdoor air from seeping inside.

• Avoid outdoor exercise during peak pollution. If possible, plan walks or workouts in the early morning or later evening when pollution levels are often lower.

• Support clean air policies. Community-wide effortslike cleaner public transportation, reducing emissions, and promoting green spacesmake a big difference in lowering long-term risk.

New Swedish study finds that anti-inflammatory, plant-rich diets help older adults accumulate fewer health conditions over time

• Older adults who follow high-quality diets rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and unsaturated fats accumulate chronic diseases more slowly.

• Diets with higher inflammatory potentialthose heavy in red/processed meats, refined grains, sweetsaccelerate the accumulation of diseases.

• Benefits are especially clear for cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric conditions; diets had little effect on musculoskeletal disease accumulation.

As we get older, many of us worry about developing multiple chronic conditions heart disease, dementia, depression, and more.

A large recent study out of Sweden asks an important question: can what we eat slow down the rate at which these health problems pile up?

The short answer seems to be yes.

The research shows that older people who stick to healthier, less inflammatory diets tend to accumulate fewer chronic diseases over time compared to those who favor more inflammatory diets.

Our results show how important diet is in influencing the development of multimorbidity in ageing populations, researcher Adrin Carballo-Casla said in a news release.

The study

The researchers tracked 2,473 community-dwelling older adults (aged 60+) from the SNAC-K cohort in Stockholm for up to 15 years.

They collected information on participants diets using food frequency questionnaires in the first three waves of the study (during the first ~six years). They also gathered data on chronic diseases at multiple points over all 15 years, through interviews, medical records, and health registers.

To measure how good or inflammatory a diet was, they calculated how closely each person followed four established dietary patterns:

• MIND (focused on brain-healthy eating)

• AHEI (Alternate Healthy Eating Index)

• AMED (Alternative Mediterranean Diet)

• EDII (Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index) this one measures how much a diet might promote inflammation.
  

They then used statistical models to see how diet quality related to the rate at which chronic conditions accumulated, overall and in three organ-system categories: cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, and musculoskeletal. They adjusted for things like age, sex, education, smoking, physical activity, total calorie intake, and others.

The results

• The people who scored higher on the healthy diet scales (MIND, AHEI, AMED) accumulated chronic diseases at a significantly slower annual rate. For example, each standard deviation increase in AHEI or MIND corresponded to noticeably slower disease gain per year.

• By contrast, those with diets scoring high on the inflammatory index (EDII) had faster accumulation of chronic diseases.

• When breaking down by disease type: diet quality had strong associations for cardiovascular diseases (like heart disease, stroke) and neuropsychiatric diseases (such as depression, dementia). But for musculoskeletal diseases (bones, joints), there was no clear relationship.
  Some differences showed up by age and sex: for instance, the healthy diets seemed especially beneficial in slowing cardiovascular disease accumulation among women, and neuropsychiatric benefits were more pronounced in the oldest participants.
  

How to Put the Research into Practice

Want to eat in a way that slows the build-up of chronic conditions as you age? These tips, based on the Swedish studys findings, show what a healthier, less inflammatory plate can look like:

Simple Swaps

• Load up on vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits.

• Choose whole grains instead of refined (brown rice, oats, whole-wheat bread).

• Use olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish for healthy fats.

• Cut back on red/processed meats, sugary drinks, and packaged sweets.

• Add beans and legumes regularly for protein and fiber.
  

A Sample Day

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with berries and walnuts

• Lunch: Lentil and veggie soup with whole-grain bread

• Snack: Apple slices with almond butter

• Dinner: Grilled salmon, roasted vegetables, and quinoa

• Dessert: Fresh fruit or a square of dark chocolate

The probe followed a 2024 midair door plug blowout

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• Federal regulators cite hundreds of quality-control failures tied to 737 production

• Proposed penalties follow January 2024 midair door plug blowout

• Boeing has 30 days to respond to the FAAs allegations

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed more than $3.1 million in fines against Boeing, citing hundreds of safety violations in its 737 aircraft production lines and accusing the company of pressuring its own safety inspectors.

In penalty letters issued this week, the FAA said the violations occurred between September 2023 and February 2024 and included actions linked to the January 5 midair door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. The agency said it used the maximum civil penalty allowed under federal law.

According to the FAA, inspectors found widespread failures in Boeings quality system at its 737 factory in Renton, Washington, as well as at Spirit AeroSystems subcontractor facility in Wichita, Kansas. Regulators said Boeing presented two planes for certification that were not airworthy and failed to follow required quality-control procedures.

The agency also found that a Boeing employee pressured a company safety representative to sign off on a 737 Max aircraft even though the inspector believed it did not meet federal standards. The FAA called that interference a violation of rules meant to ensure inspectors remain independent from company production pressures.

Boeing has 30 days to respond to the FAAs allegations and proposed fines.

What it means for travelers

• Safety oversight: The FAAs findings suggest ongoing problems with Boeings 737 production, an aircraft flown by major U.S. carriers. Regulators say they are increasing scrutiny of the company.

• Passenger impact: The proposed fines dont immediately affect flight schedules, but repeated safety concerns have led to more inspections and occasional flight cancellations while planes are checked.

• Whats next: Boeing could contest the fines, negotiate a settlement, or accept the penalties. The company is already under pressure from airlines, regulators, and Congress to overhaul its safety culture.