Nearly 80% of Americans Say It’s a ‘Bad Time’ to Buy a Home

CUToday

WASHINGTON—Americans are feeling pretty pessimistic when it comes to purchasing a home.

The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased slightly in July, as consumers’ increased confidence regarding their personal financial situations, but that was largely offset by further pessimism toward homebuying conditions, Fannie Mae reported.

Three of the HPSI’s six components increased month over month, including the components measuring job security and home price expectations. However, 82% of consumers reported that it’s a “bad time to buy” a home, a new survey high and up from 78% in June.

The full index is up 4.0 points year over year.

“While consumers are reporting confidence in the components related to their personal financial situations, it’s unlikely we’ll see housing sentiment catch up to other broader economic confidence measures until there is meaningful improvement to home purchase affordability,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae senior vice president and chief economist.

Duncan noted that in July, a significant majority of consumers indicated their jobs are stable and that their incomes are the same or better than they were twelve months ago.

‘All-Time Low’

“However, homebuying sentiment once again matched its all-time low, with only 18% telling us that it's a good time to buy a home,” Duncan said. “Unsurprisingly, consumers continue to attribute the challenging conditions to high home prices and unfavorable mortgage rates. Further, the share of consumers expecting home prices to continue to rise has also been on a steady climb since March, which may only add to perceptions of unaffordability.”

Duncan added that Fannie Mae has not seen much movement in the “good time to sell” component over the last few months, an indication that the current low levels of existing homes for sale will likely continue to persist in the near term, as also reflected in our latest forecast.”
Survey Highlights

According to Fannie Mae, highlights of the survey include:

Good/Bad Time to Buy: “The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to buy a home decreased from 22% to 18%, while the percentage who say it is a bad time to buy increased from 78% to 82%. As a result, the net share of those who say it is a good time to buy decreased 8 percentage points month over month,” Fannie Mae said
Good/Bad Time to Sell: “The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to sell a home remained unchanged at 64%, while the percentage who say it’s a bad time to sell remained unchanged at 36%. As a result, the net share of those who say it is a good time to sell remained unchanged month over month,” Fannie Mae said
Home Price Expectations: According to Fannie Mae, “The percentage of respondents who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months increased from 36% to 41%, while the percentage who say home prices will go down decreased from 26% to 24%. The share who think home prices will stay the same decreased from 37% to 34%. As a result, the net share of those who say home prices will go up in the next 12 months increased six percentage points month over month.”
Mortgage Rate Expectations: Fannie Mae noted the percentage of respondents who say mortgage rates will go down in the next 12 months remained unchanged at 16%, while the percentage who expect mortgage rates to go up decreased from 47% to 45%. “The share who think mortgage rates will stay the same increased from 36% to 38%. As a result, the net share of those who say mortgage rates will go down over the next 12 months increased three percentage points month over month.”
Job Loss Concern: “The percentage of respondents who say they are not concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months increased from 77% to 80%, while the percentage who say they are concerned decreased two percentage points from 22% to 20%,” Fannie Mae said. “As a result, the net share of those who say they are not concerned about losing their job increased six percentage points month over month.”
Household Income: “The percentage of respondents who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago remained unchanged at 19%, while the percentage who say their household income is significantly lower remained unchanged at 10%,” according to Fannie Mae. “The percentage who say their household income is about the same remained unchanged at 71%. As a result, the net share of those who say their household income is significantly higher than it was 12 months ago remained unchanged month over month.”

Comments

Ramp Up Cyber Spending As AI Reshapes Industry Priorities

NEW YORK—Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the defining force shaping banking strategy, with 80% of banking executives now expecting AI to significantly disrupt their business and operating models within the next three to five years, according to KPMG's 2026 Banking Technology Survey. The survey of 200 U.S. banking executives found institutions are responding by accelerating investments in cybersecurity, payments modernization and technology-driven acquisitions. "AI, payments modernization, cybersecurity, and tech-driven M&A are no longer separate agendas," said Peter Torrente, KPMG's U.S. Banking Sector Leader, who said banks are increasingly being challenged to keep pace across technology, risk and growth simultaneously. Cybersecurity remains a top concern. More than three-quarters (76%) of banking leaders reported an increase in cyberattacks over the past year, while 92% said they are boosting cybersecurity budgets. In addition, 84% are increasing cyb...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

White Paper from WOCCU Examines How Stablecoins are Reshaping Financial Infrastructure

WASHINGTON– World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) has released a new white paper that examines how stablecoins are reshaping the financial infrastructure that credit unions and other cooperative financial institutions rely on to serve their members. According to WOCCU, the white paper, How Digital Money Is Impacting Credit Unions, Part 1: Focus on Stablecoins , is the first in a planned three-part series exploring how emerging forms of digital money are affecting the global credit union movement. “The report begins by noting that stablecoins are no longer a niche fintech development, but part of a broader structural shift in how money is stored, moved and regulated,” WOCCU explained. “As commercial banks, payment networks, technology firms and retailers build stablecoin offerings or integrate stablecoin rails into their platforms, credit unions must consider how these changes could affect deposits, payments, member relationships and long-term institutional relevance.” For ...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Half of Credit Union & Bank CEOs are Now Older Than 65, Up From 20% Two Decades

NEW YORK — At a time when there are some generational changes in credit union leadership taking place, a new analysis has found the nation’s bank CEOs are getting older, with half of the chief executives leading banks now older than 65, compared with fewer than 20% two decades ago. The KBW Bank Index from Truist Securities found that the median age of bank CEOs has increased by 10 years since the early 2000s, mirroring a broader aging trend among corporate leaders across the United States. However, bank executives remain older on average than their counterparts in many other industries, according to the analysis by Truist Securities Managing Director John McDonald and associates Peter Nicolo and John Manahan. One reason is tenure. Bank CEOs typically remain in their positions longer than executives in many other sectors. According to data from CristKolder Associates cited in the report, financial-services CEOs average nine years in the role, compared with 5.4 years in the energy secto...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

What Credit Unions Can—And Can't—Do With New Trump Accounts

07/02/2026 09:36 am WASHINGTON--With Trump Accounts set to officially launch July 4, America’s Credit Unions updated its frequently asked questions document to clarify the role of credit unions now and in the future. Credit unions do not have a role to play yet, as the Treasury has not announced steps to transition accounts from initial provider BNY Mellon to other authorized institutions, ACU noted. Trump Accounts are tax-deferred accounts that can be established on behalf of a child under the age of 18. Account contributions begin after July 4, with contributions up to $5,000 a year allowed. Created by H.R. 1, the law also established a pilot program to deposit a one-time $1,000 grant into accounts of children born between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2028. Once the child turns 18, the account funds are available for educational expenses, home ownership, entrepreneurship, and other designated purposes. Once guidance is available from Treasury, credit unions ...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Invest in Education - Invest in Tomorrow

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Sunday Reading - We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident

We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident . The Declaration of Independence is the founding document that formally announced the American Colonies' break from British rule. Adopted on July 4, 1776, it laid the philosophical and moral foundation for American self-governance, asserting that individuals possess inherent rights and that governments must be accountable to the people. While it didn't create a government or legal framework, the Declaration marked the birth of the United States as a sovereign nation. > Hear why the Continental Congress decided to declare independence, how the text took shape...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

Without President’s Signature, ROAD to Housing Act Becomes Law; Includes CU Board Modernization Act

WASHINGTON — The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law Friday without President Donald Trump’s signature after the president allowed the measure to take effect while Congress remained in session, choosing not to sign it in protest over the Senate’s failure to advance separate voter identification legislation. The legislation includes the Credit Union Board Modernization Act, which reduces the frequency with which credit unions must meet and which had strong support from the credit union trade groups. Trump announced on social media that he would not sign the housing package because the Senate had not passed the SAVE America Act, a measure he has championed requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Under the Constitution, a bill becomes law if the president neither signs nor vetoes it within 10 days, excluding Sundays, while Congress is in session. Scott Simpson ‘Steadfast in Commitment’ “America’s Credit Unions, our league partners, and cr...

Read Complete Article HERE>»

NCUA Tells FICUs Crypto Trading is OK — If Big Exchanges Provide the Service

When it comes to reading between the lines of financial regulators’ advisory letters, tone matters. Take last week’s letter from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) which gave the federally insured credit unions (FICUs) it oversees permission to partner with digital asset providers to allow retail customers to buy, sell and trade in cryptocurrencies. Now compare it to the one issued by Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu’s agency to the national banks and federal savings associations it regulates a month earlier. On the surface, both said much the same thing: Financial institutions can provide cryptocurrency services (albeit with some notable differences: the OCC’s letter dealt with more back-end services, including custody services as well as holding and using dollar-pegged stablecoins for transaction settlement). Neither was enthusiastic. The NCUA’s letter said it “does not prohibit FICUs from establishing these relationships” — which is not as enthusiastic as “are a...