Housing

CoreLogic July Home Price Index Jumps Nearly 7%

Thinkstock

Home prices rose 6.7% in July compared with the same month a year ago, according to research firm CoreLogic. That matches the year-over-year increase posted in June. The firm had previously forecast a rise of 5.2%, more in line with the index jumps in for the first three months of the year. The data include sales of distressed properties.

Month over month, July prices rose 0.9%, including distressed home sales. CoreLogic expects July housing prices to rise another 5% year over year to July 2018 and to rise by 0.4% month over month.

CEO Frank Martell noted:

Home prices in July continued to rise at a solid pace with no signs of slowing down. The combination of steadily rising purchase demand along with very tight inventory of unsold homes should keep upward pressure on home prices for the remainder of this year. While mortgage interest rates remain low, affordability cracks are emerging as over a third of U.S. top cities are now overvalued.

Chief economist Frank Nothaft added:

In July, home price growth in the Pacific Northwest and mountain states led the nation with the highest appreciation rates. The sharp price increases in Washington and Utah has been especially striking, with home price growth in both states accelerating by 3 percentage points since the beginning of the year.

Including distressed sales, home prices rose the most in Utah (10.8%) and Washington (12.9%).

The 10 U.S. metropolitan areas posting the largest increases were:

  1. Denver: 8.3%
  2. Las Vegas: 7.7%
  3. San Diego: 7.2%
  4. San Francisco: 7.1%
  5. Los Angeles: 6.9%
  6. Boston: 6.5%
  7. Miami: 5.4%
  8. Washington, D.C.: 3.9%
  9. Chicago: 3.5%
  10. Houston: 3.1%

For more information, check out the CoreLogic June report.

Essential Tips for Investing: Sponsored

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.