When it comes to deciding whether or not it’s a good time for you to buy a house, your personal finances are a big factor. After all, feeling secure in your job, income, and debts can make taking on a large financial transaction far less stressful. For that reason, Fannie Mae’s most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index may be encouraging news for the housing market. That’s because, though confidence in most of the components – including whether this is a good time to buy or sell a home – was flat or down, those dealing with the direction of the economy and financial expectations for the next year were up. “Tight supply and lackluster income growth continue to weigh on housing activity, and consumer expectations for home price growth over the next 12 months have moderated,” Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s senior vice president and chief economist, said. “However, consumers expressed increased optimism about the direction of the economy and their personal financial situations over the next 12 months, with both measures matching previous survey highs this month” More here.