WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. house prices declined 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from December to January, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s monthly House Price Index. The previously reported 0.3 percent decrease in December was revised downward to a 1.0 percent decrease. For the 12 months ending in January, U.S. prices fell 3.9 percent. The U.S. index is 16.5 percent below its April 2007 peak and roughly the same as the May 2004 index level. The FHFA monthly index is calculated using purchase prices of houses backing mortgages that have been sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. For the nine Census Divisions, seasonally adjusted monthly price changes from December to January ranged from -1.3 percent in the Mountain and South Atlantic Divisions to +1.6 percent in the West South Central Division. Monthly index values and appreciation rate estimates for recent periods are provided in the table and graphs on the following pages. Click here for complete historical data. For detailed information concerning the monthly HPI, please see the HPI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). The next release will be on April 21, 2011 and will include monthly HPI data for February 2011. ###
The Federal Housing Finance Agency regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks. These government-sponsored enterprises provide more than $5.9 trillion in funding for the U.S. mortgage markets and financial institutions.
Craig Roberts, President of Pennsylvania First Settlement Services LP, is a Certified Land Title Professional (CLTP), past-President of the Pennsylvania Land Title Association, and is a licensed title agent and real estate broker in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania First Settlement Services is a full-service title insurance agency serving the greater Pocono area of northeastern Pennsylvania. Its services include title searches, title insurance, real estate settlements, foreclosure research, documents services and short sale assistance. www.pafirstsettlement.com
