Many prospective homebuyers assume they won’t be able to obtain a home mortgage and so aren’t even attempting to purchase homes as a result. Although nearly one-third of the consumers responding to a Loan Depot survey said they would like to buy a home in the next two years, more than half said they think it is more difficult to qualify for a mortgage today and have decided not to try for that reason. A Fannie Mae survey found similar evidence that young renters (between the ages of 18 and 34) are delaying home purchase decisions because they don’t think they can amass the down payment they need or qualify for a loan. “Our results suggest that many young renters may continue to rent longer due to insufficient financial capability and/or preparation, despite the majority’s preference for owning,” Sarah Shahdad, strategic planning analyst at Fannie Mae and the report’s author, noted.