Consumers are feeling better about the strengthening housing market as their concerns about unemployment and foreclosures are declining while confidence in the benefits of home ownership is rising, according to the latest Housing Pulse Survey from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

The NAR survey, conducted by American Strategies and Myers Research | Strategic Services, polled 2,000 people earlier this spring. Read more from NAR, but here are some of the highlights:

• Nearly four-in-ten Americans feel that activity in their local market has improved in the past year.
• Eight-in-ten believe buying a home is a good financial decision, up 8 points since 2011.
• Half of renters now say that eventually owning a home is one of their highest personal priorities, up 9 points from 2011.
• Respondents expect to see continued improvement, as 37 percent expect real estate sales to increase in the year ahead.