text: I don't see how the new rules affect people who have equity in their property - meaning people who did accelerated payments on their mortgage and have cash balance. They already qualified.
  
   However, if by people who have equity in their property you mean stretched households that can't save anything and add extra debt by borrowing binges that are supposedly "covered" by the virtual appreciation, then I have newsflash for you: they are a huge part of the problem.