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National Housing Survey/Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI)

October 2011 National Housing Survey Monthly Indicators

October 1, 2011
Indicators Show Consumer Concerns Stabilize in November; Downward Slide of Consumer Sentiment Appears to Have Halted

Americans continue to be pessimistic about home prices, the economy, and personal finances, according to results from Fannie Mae's October National Housing Survey. Findings show that consumers have experienced stagnant incomes over the past year and do not expect their personal financial situations to improve over the next twelve months.

Monthly Housing Survey

"The October survey showed that consumers' outlook for the housing market has remained downbeat, as they expect home prices to decline over the next year, extending the streak of negative outlooks to five consecutive months." said Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae. “More positive economic headlines over the past month failed to lift consumers' moods. While their views regarding their personal finances and the direction of the economy have not deteriorated further, it is discouraging to see the lack of appreciable improvement after overall sentiment took a hit during the debt ceiling debate in August."

"The fact that sentiment appears to be in a holding pattern at depressed levels is a cause for concern for the development of the housing market and for the economy as a whole, as there will be no meaningful economic recovery without a housing recovery," Duncan stated.

Fannie Mae's monthly national consumer attitudinal survey report provides indicators offering a window into the opinions of Americans across the country. These behavioral insights convey what consumers think about the outlook for owning and renting a home and about their household finances, and may serve as key inputs for determining the future course of investment across housing types.

On this webpage you will find a news release with highlights from the survey results, the October 2011 Data Release highlighting eleven consumer attitudinal indicators, technical notes providing in-depth information about the survey methodology, the questionnaire used for the survey, and a comparative assessment of the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey and other consumer surveys.

Downloads and Related Links
News Release
October 2011 National Housing Survey Data Release (PDF)