"Survey Says...........

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, nearly half of U.S. homeowners, 46 percent, say their home has increased in value "a lot" over the last few years. But only about half of those homeowners think they'll get similar appreciation in the future. The bulk of homeowners overall, 55 percent, believe the value of their homes will go up "a little" in the future; 26 percent still think they'll enjoy "a lot" of appreciation. Just 10 percent of homeowners in the U.S. say they think the value of their house will decline in the future.

It may be that homeowners are taking home prices in stride. Only one-quarter in the Pew survey report that rising home prices have had some or a great deal of effect on their personal finances. Three-quarters say the value of their home has little or no influence over their finances.

The study also found that only 20 percent of homeowners said they have a second mortgage or home-equity loan on their property, and of those nearly half, 45 percent, said they were using that money to pay for home improvements or repairs. Less than three percent of all homeowners were using a second mortgage to invest in real estate or buy a second home. About two percent were using home-equity money to pay credit cards or other debt and about the same percentage bought a car with their proceeds. Just over one percent were using the money to fund an education.

About a third of homeowners say that their home accounts for "all or most" of their personal financial worth, and another third say it accounts for about half.