According to a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, most Americans believe troubled homeowners should sell their homes rather than receive government assistance to keep them. The national telephone survey taken of American adults shows that 62 percent of respondents believe it's better for homeowners who cannot afford to make increased mortgage payments to sell their homes and find less expensive ones. Twenty-five percent of those polled believe it is better for the government to assist those homeowners in making their payments, while just 13 percent were undecided.
The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted July 17-18, 2011 and the margin of sampling error is +/- three percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research LLC.
Those polled were asked the following questions:
►If someone cannot afford to make increased mortgage payments, is it better for the government to assist them in making their payments or should they sell their homes and find a less expensive home?
►Generally speaking, is this a good time for someone in your area to be selling a house?
►Is buying a home the best investment most families can make?
These results have changed little in surveys conducted by Rasmussen Reports since late 2007. In May, 59 percent said troubled homeowners should sell their homes, while 24 percent favored the government intervention.
Other key findings of the survey include:
►Those who don’t own a home are more supportive of government intervention than those that do own one.
►Republicans and adults not affiliated with either major political party feel strongly that homeowners who cannot afford their payments should sell their homes and buy less expensive ones. Democrats polled were evenly divided.
►While 39 percent of the political class favors the government assisting troubled homeowners, only seven percent of mainstream voters agree.
►Confidence that home values will improve has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded.
►The belief among Americans that purchasing a home is a family’s best investment is weaker than ever. More homeowners than non-owners now think home buying is not the best investment a family can make.
