What’s on REALTORS®’ Minds

What’s on REALTORS®’ Minds

What's on REALTORS®' Minds.  Image courtesy of  nokhoog_buchachon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What’s on REALTORS®’ Minds. Image courtesy of nokhoog_buchachon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Though the market is poised to continue its gains in 2014, a number of issues cited by members of the National Association of REALTORS® have the potential to slow things down, according to a new survey.

The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to more than 50,000 real estate practitioners. The survey routinely asks for expectations regarding home sales, prices, and market conditions. The association also asks “Questions of the Month,” which provide a snapshot of a more timely aspect of the housing market. This month’s report was created based on data gathered Jan. 6 through Jan. 10.

As 2014 begins, REALTORS® noted a number of concerns that they felt could be a drag on the recovery:

  • regulations pertaining to Qualified Mortgage (QM) loans
  • reductions in FHA loan ceiling limits
  • a further increase in mortgage rates
  • slow job growth
  • uncertainties associated with the cost of flood insurance
  • potential impacts from the Affordable Care Act

NAR’s outlook for the coming year is overwhelmingly positive, but the organization says that the market “is essentially moving sideways—growing at a more tempered pace than was the case last year. Future prices are generally projected to continue to increase, but at a more subdued pace than was previously the case.”

Source: NAR