The "Home ATM" was Closed in Q1
Mortgage Equity Withdrawal (MEW) turns negative in Q1 2023
During the housing bubble, many homeowners borrowed heavily against their perceived home equity - jokingly calling it the “Home ATM” - and this contributed to the subsequent housing bust, since so many homeowners had negative equity in their homes when house prices declined. Note: Very few homeowners have negative equity now - unlike during the housing …