Economists Expect 2012 Housing Momentum To Carry Into 2013 SEATTLE, December 26, 2012 - A nationwide panel of more than 100 professional forecasters expects home prices to rise 3.1 percent in 2013 after finishing 2012 up more than 4.6 percent, reflecting growing optimism in the housing market, according to the December 2012 Zillow® Home Price Expectations Survey. The survey of 105 economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists was sponsored by leading real estate information marketplace Zillow, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) and conducted by Pulsenomics LLC. It is based on the projected path of the S&P/Case-Shiller® U.S. National Home Price Index during the coming five years. Survey respondents said they expect home prices to increase in full-year 2012 by 4.6 percent, up from their more modest forecast of 2.3 percent in the September 2012 survey. Respondents also indicated they expect home prices to rise 3.1 percent in 2013, up from an expectation of 2.4 percent in September, and by more than 3 percent annually through 2017. "An organic recovery in the housing market really took hold in the latter half of 2012, and this improvement is echoed in some of the most optimistic price projections we've seen in years from this group," said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries . "Record levels of affordability and an improving overall economic picture have really helped buoy the market and have us well positioned for continued growth, albeit slightly slower, in 2013 and beyond." Mortgage Interest Deduction Would Negatively Impact High-End Home Prices The survey examined three scenarios: Reducing the maximum MID-eligible mortgage amount to $500,000 and eliminating the allowance for second homes; capping all itemized deductions, including the MID, at $25,000 per year; and eliminating the MID over a multi-year period. There was only one instance in which a majority of respondents indicated prices would not be negatively affected – 55 percent of respondents said the first scenario outlined above would have little to no near-term impact on overall home prices. Eliminating the MID entirely over a period of several years was expected to have the biggest negative impact on high-end home prices over the long-term, with 70 percent of respondents saying they expected such prices to fall moderately or significantly under such a scenario. Give us your Feedback about this story!
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