Fannie Mae on Housing: The Worst is Behind Us


Fannie Mae economists say they believe home prices “hit bottom” earlier this year and that prices and sales will continue to move up as more consumers enter the housing market.
Economists with the mortgage giant are forecasting about a 9 percent rise in home sales this year, topping out at 4.98 million. They expect home sales to reach 5.19 million next year—a number that hasn’t been reached in years. Fannie Mae is also predicting housing starts to rise: 746,000 this year and 888,000 by 2013.
Source: “Fannie: Sales Up 9 Percent in 2012,” RISMedia (Oct. 22, 2012) and