RealEstateEconomyWatch.com

For the first time in years, the American public is hearing more good news than bad news about real estate values first time, as many say they are hearing mostly good news (25%) as bad news (24%) about real estate values.

For the first time since before 2009, as many Americans say they are hearing mostly good news (25%) as bad news (24%) about real estate values; the remainder (40%) says the news is mixed, according to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Jan. 31-Feb.

In 2009, far more saw the news about real estate as bad than good and the balance worsened considerably in 2010 and 2011. Views of news about real estate values and financial markets have improved and are as positive as they have been in the last four years. But these relative bright spots are counterbalanced by persistently negative views of news about gas prices and prices for food and consumer goods.

Overall impressions of economic news continue to be mixed: 59% say they have been hearing a mix of good and bad news about the economy, 28% say they have been hearing mostly bad news while 10% say they have been hearing mostly good news.

That is little changed since January, though views of economic news are somewhat more 2-6-13 #3positive than last summer. In August, 41% said economic news was mostly bad, 13 points higher than the current figure.

For the most part, however, opinions about economic news remain mixed as they have for much of Obama’s presidency. But during his first months in office, perceptions were much more negative: in February 2009, 60% said news about the economy was mostly bad, 37% said it was mixed and just 2% said news about the economy was mostly good.

The latest survey by the Pew Research Center finds that perceptions of news about financial markets have become more positive since the end of last year. Nonetheless, more say the news about the financial markets is mostly bad (28%) than mostly good (18%); 44% say the news is a mix of good and bad. The job situation also is viewed less negatively: 42% say the news about jobs is mostly bad, the lowest percentage in nearly a year and far lower than the 71% who viewed job news negatively in June 2009.

There have been wide swings in perceptions of news about gas prices – and other economic sectors – over the past four years. For instance, over a four-month period last year, between March and July, the percentage viewing news about gas prices as mostly bad fell 54 points, from 85% to 31%.

Opinions about job news improved both last spring and the year before, but subsequently declined. In March 2012, for instance, 38% said job news was mostly bad. In June, that figure rose to 55%, before declining in the fall. Currently, 42% say job news is mostly bad, 12% say it is mostly good, while 43% see it as mixed.