Your mortgage lender is the first person you should talk to once you’ve decided to buy a home. After a preliminary review of your finances, they can tell you, not only whether you’re qualified to borrow, but also what your potential price range will be. In short, they’re your first step toward buying a house. That’s why Fannie Mae conducts their quarterly Mortgage Lender Sentiment Survey. Positioned at the start of the buying process, lenders are able to get a good read on the market and where it may be headed. So what do they expect in the months ahead? Well, according to the most recent survey, lenders expect buyer demand to continue to grow, though at a slower pace than before. “More lenders than not reported expectations that purchase mortgage demand will continue to grow, though the total share expecting such growth fell substantially compared to the previous quarter,” Mark Palim, Fannie Mae’s deputy chief economist said. In other words, while buyer demand will remain high, the market should be a bit calmer than it’s been in recent months. (source)