“While
consumers remain cautious about the general economy, their attitudes toward the
housing market continue to improve,” says Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief
economist. “Although this positive trend may be short-lived if the general
economy falters, one might ask whether consumers are increasingly seeing the
current environment as a unique opportunity to buy a home while home prices
remain depressed, rental costs are increasing, and interest rates are near
historic lows.”
Thirty-five
percent of the Americans surveyed say they expect home prices to rise within the
next year, with expectations that home prices will rise 2 percent within that
time. That marks the highest increases since the survey began in June 2010.
Also,
73 percent of the Americans surveyed said that now is a good time to buy, which
matches the highest number recorded since the survey began.
Source: “Housing Survey Shows Consumer Attitudes
Demonstrative of Macroeconomic Indicators,” RISMedia (July 9,
2012)