There is just a word to term the present housing market: optimistic. In spite of months of hearing about a housing bubble and rising rate of the mortgage, the stance for real estate is great.

The concerns of a bursting real estate bubble really appear to be low amongst homeowners. In a national survey carried out by ING Direct, most people experienced some growth in their home value in the last 12 months. The average increase was around 6 percent, with owners in New England and Pacific states having the biggest growth. The prices of homes in south-central states stayed almost the same.

Most homeowners do not seem bothered about a downturn in the real estate housing market. Almost 74 percent of the people surveyed, who have owned their homes for over three years, stayed optimistic about the value of their home.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage is at its highest point in four years. However, as it hovers at 6 percent, it is still a relatively low rate compared to the exceedingly high rates of the late 1980s when mortgage rates increased to over 10%.

According to Freddie Mac, there are signs of a robust economy, which is the reason mortgage rates have increased recently. Consumer assurance is on the increase and existing home sales is also on the increase. This can be credited to an optimistic labor market. As most people know, healthy employment leads to greater consumer spending.

Consumer perception is everything. With the continuous view that real estate is a nice investment, people will continue to buy and sell homes. This will profit home sellers, home buyers, mortgage lenders real estate salespeople and just about anyone connected to the real estate industry.