Tag Archive for attitudes

Recovery Continues Despite Recent Volatility

March 11, 2014 Housing Market Comments Off on Recovery Continues Despite Recent Volatility

Consumer attitudes about the economy and housing market have been up-and-down over the past few months. But despite the volatility, Fannie Mae’s February 2014 National Housing Survey finds that the overall outlook among Americans remains positive. Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae, said it’s similar to the noisy economic and housing data published over the past few month. The housing recovery is continuing, according to Duncan, and the month-to-month changes in respondents’ perceptions of home-price expectations or the ease of getting a mortgage are a reflection of short-term factors rather than the long-term trend. Generally, Americans’ attitudes about economic conditions and the housing market are in positive ranges. In fact, the percentage of participants who said now is a good time to buy a home was up 3 percent in February, reaching 68 percent of survey respondents. Expectations for home prices and mortgage rates also rose, while the share of Americans who feel the economy is on the right track and expect their personal financial situation to improve over the next year fell. More here.

Americans Cautious But Still Eager To Buy

October 8, 2013 Housing Market Comments Off on Americans Cautious But Still Eager To Buy

The number of Americans who say they’d buy, rather than rent, if they were going to move increased during the month of September, according to Fannie Mae’s September 2013 National Housing Survey. The survey, which polls 1,000 Americans every month via telephone to assess their attitudes toward owning, renting, prices, mortgage rates, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence, found 69 percent of respondents say they’d prefer to buy a home over renting. The number who said they felt it was a good time to buy a house also rose, increasing to 72 percent. Still, the level of optimism about the overall economy has begun to plateau after recent improvements. According to Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae, September’s results reflect Americans’ uncertainty about economic policy leading up to the government shutdown and debt ceiling debate. The survey shows that the improvements in consumer housing attitudes witnessed in recent months softened ahead of the government shutdown, Duncan said. How these fiscal policy issues are addressed could impact Americans’ attitudes and influence the economic and housing recovery in October and beyond. More here.

Majority of Americans Say Now Is A Good Time To Buy

September 16, 2013 Uncategorized Comments Off on Majority of Americans Say Now Is A Good Time To Buy

Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey polls Americans each month to assess their perception of the housing market, including attitudes toward owning or renting a home, price and rate changes, consumer confidence, household finances, and the overall economy. According to the results of the most recent survey, Americans’ optimism about housing growth has begun to plateau after trending upward since the beginning of the year. Still, a majority of respondents say now is a good time to buy a home and the number who said they’d prefer to buy if they had to move increased from last month. The percentage of people who believe it’d be easy for them to get a home mortgage also increased from the previous month’s survey. Overall, participants said they think home prices and rent will rise over the next year, while the number of people who said mortgage rates would increase over the same time period fell slightly from the month before. More here.