Home prices show strong gain, CoreLogic says

  • By Jim Puzzanghera Los Angeles Times
  • Tuesday, December 4, 2012 12:55pm
  • Business

WASHINGTON — Home prices increased 6.3 percent in October from a year earlier, the biggest year-over-year gain since 2006, according to research firm CoreLogic.

Prices dipped 0.2 percent in October from September, but such a drop was expected at the end of the home-selling season, the firm said Tuesday.

October marked the eighth straight month of year-over-year prices increases and added to recent evidence of growing strength in the housing market. CoreLogic reported Monday that foreclosures were down 17 percent in October from a year earlier.

“The housing recovery that started earlier in 2012 continues to gain momentum,” said Mark Fleming, CoreLogic’s chief economist. “The recovery is geographically broad-based with almost all markets experiencing some appreciation.”

Home prices increased 21.3 percent in Arizona, the most of any state. Prices increased from October 2011 in all but five states — Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area in Arizona had the largest year-over-year price increase of any metro area, at 24.5 percent.

Excluding foreclosures and other distressed sales, home prices nationally increased 5.8 percent in October from a year earlier. Those prices were up 0.5 percent from September, the eighth straight monthly gain.

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