Mortgage Searches Hit 2008 Levels as Financial Strain Grows

- Searches for “help with mortgage” hit 2008 levels, signaling growing economic strain. - Underwater mortgages rise in Texas and Florida as crypto gains traction as collateral. On September 18, 2025, Cryptopolitan reported that searches for “help with mortgage” have surged to levels last seen during the 2008 financial crisis. This trend signals increased economic stress for households battling higher living costs. While asset markets like stocks and cryptocurrency remain strong, this search activity underscores growing financial vulnerability in certain regions. The report highlights specific areas of concern where underwater mortgages—home loans exceeding a property’s value—are on the rise. These areas include Cape Coral, Florida, and major Texas cities such as Austin and San Antonio. In Cape Coral alone, 7.8% of mortgages are underwater, raising alarms about localized economic instability. Although the national rate of negative equity remains far lower than during the 2009 housing crisis, analysts warn that these concentrated increases may deepen financial strain for homeowners. However, broader metrics present mixed signals. While second-quarter data for 2025 shows that overall mortgage delinquencies have declined nationwide, early-stage payment defaults have started to move upward. Experts caution that rising unemployment or worsening economic conditions could accelerate delinquencies, increasing the risk of widespread mortgage failures. Cryptocurrency has emerged as a notable player in the housing sector this year. In summer 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued new guidance requiring lenders to evaluate cryptocurrency holdings when they assess mortgage risk. This policy highlights the growing acceptance of digital assets in traditional finance, as many view crypto as a buffer against housing affordability challenges. In the U.K., some homebuyers now leverage Bitcoin as collateral for property purchases, a trend that offers a glimpse into the potential for global adoption of digital finance. Amid mounting economic pressure, searches for “bankruptcy lawyer” have also climbed to their highest point since 2004. This surge aligns with rising household distress, even as alternative assets like gold and Bitcoin reach record-high valuations, which reflects investor confidence in hedging against traditional economic risks. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at $117,740.76 as of September 18 at 17:15 UTC. This represents a 1.76% increase in its 24-hour trading volume.