Real Estate Market Update July 12, 2011 by Sharon Stevens of For Buyers Only Realty of St Augustine, Exclusive Buyers Agent.

It finally appears seeds are being planted for a housing recovery. Fannie Mae’s monthly survey reported that Americans expect home prices to drop just 0.5% in the next year. Some reported this as a negative because a 0.7% price gain was expected last month. But other analysts see this as a bottom, and those surveyed agree, as the majority (69%) believe it’s a good time to buy a home.

A MacroMarkets LLC study echoed this. More than 50% of the economists, real estate experts and investment strategists polled said they expect a bottom for national home prices this year. Almost two thirds of the respondents felt our residential real estate market is at an historic turning point.

The Wall Street Journal also reported this could be a good time to buy. The reasons? Mortgage rates are near 50-year lows; inventories are supporting a buyer’s market; and homes are more affordable than they’ve been in years. Moody’s calculates the ratio of home prices to income is now 20.9% lower than the 15-year average up through 2010.

Finally, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported demand for purchase loans was UP 4.8% from the week before and UP 11.7% from a year ago.

National average rates on fixed-rate mortgages nudged up a bit, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey. They’re still historically low, but some observers feel they could be heading up.