Experian-Gallup Survey on Housing & the Media

Credit wizards Experian and pollster Gallup regularly team up for an interesting consumer sentiment poll on housing debts. The latest one was published last week. (COPY HERE)

Asked by Jon Lansner: "Do you think media coverage has had a big role in this housing pessimism?"

Answered by Dennis Jacobe: "Media coverage probably played a role as housing prices escalated and also as prices have declined. In the past, we've asked people if they think housing prices will collapse in some local markets nationwide and we find a much larger percentage expect that to take place than expect a price collapse in their local residential real estate market. The point is that consumer perceptions of housing market conditions nationwide are clearly impacted by the media coverage. Consumer perceptions of their local residential real estate market, however, are much less media-driven and more experience-driven, in my opinion. That is the reason the survey focused on consumers' perceptions of their local market."

"When you owe your bank $100, it's your problem. When you owe the bank $100 million, it's the bank's problem." ....... J.P. Getty