Some good news can be found in Fannie Mae’s February National Housing Survey —consumers continue to have positive attitudes toward housing and the number of consumers who believe home prices will rise over the next year rose to a record high. Read the news release from Fannie Mae.

“Despite fiscal headwinds and political uncertainty, consumer sentiment toward housing is robust and continues to gather strength,” said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “We expect home prices to firm further amid a durable housing recovery, gradually reducing the population of underwater borrowers and helping to boost the share of consumers who say that now is a good time to sell.”

In other news:

U.S. unemployment falls to 4-year low – Crain’s Chicago Business

Foreclosures, Forestalled – Wall Street Journal

Institutional investors buying up houses – Daily Herald