Americans still feel OK about the housing market, but are more worried about selling
Read more: 5 ways to tariff-proof your finances
The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index increased 1.1 points last month to 69.2, though it's down 2.7 points in the last year. The index uses responses from the National Housing Survey, a poll of more than 1,000 household financial decision-makers conducted between April 1 and April 18.
Overall sentiment improved as survey participants grew less worried about losing their jobs and attitudes about home buying remained unchanged, with around 23% of respondents saying now is a good time to buy. Still, attitudes about selling a home and the direction of mortgage rates turned more negative.
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Of those surveyed last month, 58% think it's a good time to sell a home, down from 64% in March. Consumers remain split on where mortgage rates will go, with 26% expecting them to go down and 36% anticipating they'll go up, slightly less optimistic than a month earlier.
Learn more: When will mortgage interest rates go down to 4%
At the same time, respondents reported feeling better about their job security compared to a month earlier. The percentage of employed respondents who said they're worried about job loss in the next 12 months fell to 25%, from 32% in March.
The relative optimism about the housing market stands in contrast to broader consumer confidence metrics. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell for the fifth straight month in April to levels not seen since the early days of the pandemic as consumers fretted about inflation and job prospects.
Since the survey was conducted, the government reported that the economy contracted in the first quarter, raising fears of a possible recession. April's jobs report, however, showed a resilient labor market, though the overall hiring rate remains low.
Claire Boston is a Senior Reporter for Yahoo Finance covering housing, mortgages, and home insurance.
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