Dive summary:

• Fannie Mae's economic research unit says that it sees U.S. GDP growth coming in at less than 2% this year, but home sales will go up 9%.
• The forecast uncouples the overall economy, with its looming fiscal cliff and debt ceiling issues, from the housing market.
• Home sales have achieved a "sustainable, long-term recovery," chief economist Doug Duncan asserted, driven partly by low interest rates and the Fed's quantitative easing. His team believes home prices probably hit bottom earlier this year.

From the article:

Fannie Mae economists see somewhat of a bifurcated economy with the GSE's forecast for 2013 divided between predictions of a gradually improving housing market and headwinds posed by tax and federal policies that will create economic drag. ...