Hoping for or Dreading a Housing Crash? The Experts Just Weighed In

Half the buyers out there are terrified home prices are about to crash—and the other half are praying they will. In fact, a recent survey from Clever found that 58% of Gen Z buyers are actually rooting for a crash just so homeownership feels within reach.

But what do the actual experts forecast?

What the Newest Numbers Actually Say

Fannie Mae just surveyed over 100 housing experts on where prices are headed—and spoiler alert: they’re not calling for a crash, not even the pessimists.

The panel’s latest forecast shows prices climbing every single year through at least 2030, with an average predicted rise of 14.7% over the next five years. Even if you break it down between the optimists and the pessimists, the pessimists still expect prices to increase by about 6.6% by the end of 2030.

So if you’ve been sitting back waiting for prices to drop, you might be waiting a very long time.

How This Quarter Compares to the Past

The panel's near-term outlook actually got more optimistic. A year ago, they expected home prices to grow 2.1% this year. Now they’re forecasting 2.5%.

While long-term projections for 2027 through 2029 cooled slightly, a slower climb isn't a bad thing—it's a sign the market is settling into a normal, healthy pace after a few wild years. What hasn't budged once is the consensus that home prices will keep growing.

What It Means for Your Next Move

Sitting on the sidelines waiting for a crash could be costing you serious wealth.

If you run the numbers on a $550,000 home bought today, the panel’s latest forecast puts you up by about $79,750 in equity over five years just from price growth alone. That’s real net worth you could be building while others wait for a crash the experts don’t see coming.

Bottom Line

Whether you're bracing for a crash or hoping for one, the bottom line is clear—prices are projected to keep rising, not falling.

Real estate is always local. If you want to know what these numbers mean for our local market and your specific real estate goals, contact me today and let's chat!

Watch my video discussion above to see what these numbers mean for you. Hoping for a Housing Crash?