Determining when it’s a good time to for you to buy a house means thinking about things like market conditions, your life goals, job security, and personal finances. That’s why Fannie Mae’s monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index surveys Americans about those things in an effort to gauge perceptions of the current housing market. And, according to the most recent results, Americans are becoming more enthusiastic. In fact, there was a 13 percent month-over-month increase in the number of respondents who said now is a good time to buy a house. Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist, says there are a lot of positive trends currently supporting buying sentiment, though there are also some remaining concerns. “Another sharp rebound in the ‘Good Time To Buy’ component lifted the HPSI nearer its survey high set during last year’s home buying season, though several uncertainties remain,” Duncan said. “While consumers’ more favorable mortgage rate outlook suggests continued support for housing affordability, potential home buyers still face supply constraints. Additionally, while the survey recently resumed its upward trend, consumers’ sense of income growth and job security have moved lower from the highs established earlier in the year, which, if sustained, could weigh on the housing market in the second half of the year.” More here.
