Tag Archives: Mortgage Rate Expectations

"Mortgage rate optimism increased dramatically this month, with a survey-high share of consumers anticipating mortgage rate declines over the next year," said Mark Palim, VP and Deputy Chief Economist at Fannie Mae.

“Over the past year, the HPSI has plateaued at a low level, evidence of persistent consumer pessimism regarding the state of the housing market,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae SVP and Chief Economist.

Consumer confidence in the housing market may have plateaued, according to Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI), which remained mostly flat in June, as shrinking supply and affordability conditions continue to pose challenges.

According to a newly released survey by Fannie Mae, affordability constraints have consumers increasingly convinced that it is a seller’s market, while high prices leave buyers with a bleak outlook.

“This month’s increase in the HPSI was the largest in over two years, primarily driven by consumers’ more optimistic mortgage rate expectations,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s SVP and Chief Economist.

A new Fannie Mae report finds consumer confidence declining to the lowest level seen in the report’s 11-year history.

With many Americans citing high home prices and mortgage rate conditions as primary reasons for being unable to afford a home, an estimated 75% of consumers in Fannie Mae’s latest Home Purchase Index believe now is a bad time to buy a home, causing many to pull back from their home searches.