Homebuyers worry despite rising consumer confidence

Consumer housing confidence improved slightly in July, with Americans feeling more confident about the economy even as many worry about whether they can buy a house themselves.

Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index rose in July to 71.8, two points higher than June. That’s close to where it was a year ago and right in the middle of its 12-month range, which has oscillated between a high of 75 last November and a low of 68.1 in March.

More consumers are predicting that both home prices and mortgage rates will go up in the next year. But on a more optimistic note, respondents felt more positive about their own finances, with fewer reporting fears about losing their job in the next year.

Nonetheless, there’s pessimism among buyers. The percentage of respondents who thought it was a bad…