Fourth Quarter 2010 National Housing Survey

Fannie Mae’s Fourth Quarter National Housing Survey polled more than 3,400 homeowners and renters – between October 2010 and December 2010 – to assess their confidence in homeownership as an investment, the current state of their household finances, views on the U.S. housing finance system, and overall confidence in the economy.

According to the latest survey results, fewer Americans believe that buying a home is a safe investment, compared to the January 2010 survey. However, Americans are more confident about the stability of home prices than they were at the beginning of the year, even though they lack confidence in the strength of the economy.

Other key findings show that Generation Y, Hispanics, and African-Americans are generally more positive about owning a home than the general population. The majority of Gen Y respondents (ages 18-34) believe buying a home has a lot of potential as an investment, even though this age group suffered the steepest decline in homeownership during the housing crisis. And more than one third of Hispanics and African-Americans say they will buy a home in the next three years, compared to only one in four of all other Americans.

The National Housing Survey was designed to gain a better understanding of current attitudes toward housing and any differences since surveys conducted in Third Quarter 2010, June 2010, January 2010, and 2003. Our research helps inform the collective efforts of Fannie Mae and our partners to provide stability for the housing market.

Downloads and Related Links
Press Release
Press Release (En Espanol)
National Housing Survey - Fact Sheet (PDF)
Presentation About Housing Survey (PDF)