Bolstered by a strong real estate market, the number of San Diegans who owe more on their homes than they are worth dropped to 7.1 percent in the second quarter of 2016.

Nationwide, about 12.1 percent of homeowners are still underwater. Nearly one-third of Americans were under.

San Diego County had the 14th-lowest percentage of homeowners underwater, called the negative equity rate, out of 52 of the largest metros. San Jose’s rate, 3.4 percent, is the lowest and Las Vegas, at 25 percent, is the highest.

At the end of 2011, 35 percent of San Diegans were underwater, according to Zillow data. It slowed to 28 percent by the end of 2012 and was in the single digits by the end of 2014.

In May, San Diego County’s median home price had increased 6.4 percent in the last 12 months, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices.

The median home price was $495,000 in June, CoreLogic said.

Source: sandiegouniontribune.com