A major bank housing analyst said apartment rental costs have historically been about 10% lower than after-tax home ownership costs. That difference began shrinking in 2010 and now apartment rents are about 15% higher than home ownership costs. A new survey found that twice as many real estate professionals, compared to three months ago, expect home values to rise. The housing market appears to be stabilizing as home sales trend upward and homebuilders are more optimistic than they’ve been in years.