Fannie Mae HPSI falls in September
The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) decreased 2.3 points in September to 91.5, retreating from a survey high in August.
But the HPSI remains up 3.8 points compared to the same time a year ago.
Three of the six HPSI components decreased month over month, including an 8-percentage point drop in the net "Confidence About Not Losing Job" component and 7-percentage point drop in the net "Home Prices Will Go Up" component. These were partially offset by increases in the "Good Time to Buy" and "Good Time to Sell" components, at 3 and 4 percentage points on net, respectively.
"Consumer sentiment remains relatively strong overall, though uncertainty about the economy and individual financial circumstances appear to be weighing on housing market attitudes a bit more than a month ago," said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist. "Views about the direction of the economy held relatively steady, and the share of respondents who say it's a good time to buy or sell a home rose slightly. However, consumers who are pessimistic about current housing market conditions are more likely to cite unfavorable economic conditions than the prior month. Job confidence remains high but still well shy of its July reading. Despite some added uncertainty, the September HPSI indicates continued strength in housing market attitudes and is consistent with recent data on housing activity."
Here are a few more takeaways from the latest HPSI:
Full results and data from the latest HPSI can be accessed here.
The HPSI reflects consumers' current views and forward-looking expectations of housing market conditions and complements existing data sources to inform housing-related analysis and decision making. The HPSI is constructed from answers to six NHS questions that solicit consumers' evaluations of housing market conditions and address topics that are related to their home purchase decisions. The questions ask consumers whether they think that it is a good or bad time to buy or to sell a house, what direction they expect home prices and mortgage interest rates to move, how concerned they are about losing their jobs, and whether their incomes are higher than they were a year earlier.
But the HPSI remains up 3.8 points compared to the same time a year ago.
Three of the six HPSI components decreased month over month, including an 8-percentage point drop in the net "Confidence About Not Losing Job" component and 7-percentage point drop in the net "Home Prices Will Go Up" component. These were partially offset by increases in the "Good Time to Buy" and "Good Time to Sell" components, at 3 and 4 percentage points on net, respectively.
"Consumer sentiment remains relatively strong overall, though uncertainty about the economy and individual financial circumstances appear to be weighing on housing market attitudes a bit more than a month ago," said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist. "Views about the direction of the economy held relatively steady, and the share of respondents who say it's a good time to buy or sell a home rose slightly. However, consumers who are pessimistic about current housing market conditions are more likely to cite unfavorable economic conditions than the prior month. Job confidence remains high but still well shy of its July reading. Despite some added uncertainty, the September HPSI indicates continued strength in housing market attitudes and is consistent with recent data on housing activity."
Here are a few more takeaways from the latest HPSI:
- The net share of Americans who say it is a good time to buy increased 3 percentage points to 28%.
- The net share of those who say it is a good time to sell rose by 4 percentage points to 44%, the same level as July.
- The net share of Americans who say home prices will go up fell 7 percentage points to 29%, continuing the decline that started in June.
- The net share of Americans who say mortgage rates will go down over the next 12 months fell 6 percentage points to -23%.
- The net share of Americans who say they are not concerned about losing their job fell 8 percentage points to 69%, continuing the decline from last month.
- The net share of those who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago remained the same at 21%.
Full results and data from the latest HPSI can be accessed here.
The HPSI reflects consumers' current views and forward-looking expectations of housing market conditions and complements existing data sources to inform housing-related analysis and decision making. The HPSI is constructed from answers to six NHS questions that solicit consumers' evaluations of housing market conditions and address topics that are related to their home purchase decisions. The questions ask consumers whether they think that it is a good or bad time to buy or to sell a house, what direction they expect home prices and mortgage interest rates to move, how concerned they are about losing their jobs, and whether their incomes are higher than they were a year earlier.