FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, REFINANCI...

FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, REFINANCING homeowner have taken disclosed ever-increasing amounts of equity from their dwellings In 2000, they pulled disclosed $26.2 billion, a figure that more than tripled in 2001 when it rose to $829 billion, according to Freddie Mac. Last year, family circle equity cash-outs rose again, to $957 billion.

if it be not that the cash-outs trend may be changing.

Only 32 percent of refinancing homeowner chose to tap their equity for cash during 2003's other quarter, according to Freddie's greatest in number recent quarterly report on cash-out refinancings. It