According to research published in the American Heart Association Journal, Circulation, the stress associated with living near a foreclosed home increases the chance of developing high blood pressure. Foreclosures are known for decreasing the property values of neighboring homes, but new research suggests it can also affect the health of your neighbors.
The study tracked 1,750 Massachusetts residents from 1987 through 2008 and found that each foreclosure within 100 meters of a person’s home affected their systolic blood pressure, the top number in the reading. According to the study, neighbors may be worried that foreclosures are hurting their home values or the safety of their communities, and that this anxiety can boost blood pressure. The study was controlled for age, income, education, race, sex and other factors, including whether the participants were taking blood-pressure medications. It also considered alcohol consumption and weight and found that both increased when there were foreclosures nearby.
Homes that lapse into foreclosure but are quickly purchased do not appear to lead to a rise in blood pressure, whereas homes that are seized by banks and stand vacant do, according to the study. The increase was not significant enough to present a huge health risk, but it does suggest that the housing crisis extends beyond the economy into the public health arena.
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Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.