A variety of housing statistics in recent months have shown the national housing picture to be improving dramatically, and a new poll indicates that consumers may be feeling the effects.According to Fannie Mae's January 2013 National Housing Survey, one in every four Americans now believes it's a good time to buy a house. That's up from a mere 11 percent who responded similarly at this time last year.Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae, noted that this is some of the most encouraging data seen in quite awhile and testifies to the strength of the overall real estate picture."The housing market continues to firm, with consumer home price expectations for both rental and ownership properties near the strongest levels that we've seen in the survey's two-and-a-half-year history," said Duncan. "Concerns about job loss are waning as payrolls are growing - a trend that may give potential homebuyers more confidence that they can meet the financial obligation of homeownership."While no one is immune from job loss, the workforce that occupy Houston homes are in good shape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Houston is 5.9 percent, two full percentage points lower than the national rate. Real Estate News brought to you by 2M Realty, a true expert in the online real estate market.