Are Home Prices About To Crash? The data says otherwise.

One of the biggest reasons many buyers are still waiting on the sidelines is the belief that home prices will soon drop significantly. Some are convinced a housing crash is coming, while others worry they'll buy now only to see their home's value decline later.

Those concerns are understandable. Nobody wants to overpay.

But what if the crash you're waiting for isn't actually coming?

Despite alarming headlines, most housing experts don't see a nationwide price crash on the horizon. While a few markets are experiencing modest price adjustments, that's very different from the widespread declines seen during the 2008 housing crisis.

According to Realtor.com, home prices are still rising in approximately 71% of housing markets across the country. Unfortunately, negative news tends to attract more attention, creating the impression that prices are falling everywhere when that simply isn't the case.

So where are prices headed next?

The Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES), published by Fannie Mae, gathers forecasts from more than 100 economists, housing experts, and market analysts each quarter. Their consensus remains clear: they expect home prices to continue appreciating over the next several years.

While no one can predict the future with certainty, today's experts are not forecasting a housing crash. If you're waiting for dramatically lower prices before buying, you may want to consider whether waiting could actually cost you more in the long run.