WASHINGTON — A measure of U.S. home prices nationwide jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006.
The gain reported by CoreLogic offered more evidence of a sustainable housing recovery.
The real estate data provider also said Tuesday that prices declined 0.3 percent in September from August, the first drop after six straight increases.
The monthly figures are not seasonally adjusted. CoreLogic says the monthly decline reflects the end of the summer home-buying season and not a softening in the housing recovery.
Steady price increases should give the housing market more momentum when home sales pick up in the spring. Rising prices encourage more homeowners to sell their homes and entice would-be buyers to purchase homes before prices rise further.
Other measures have also shown healthy gains in home prices over the past year. The Standard & Poor’s/Case Shiller 20-city index rose 2 percent in August compared with a year ago, a faster pace than the previous month.
Some of the biggest increases were in states that suffered the worst from the housing bust.
Home prices in Arizona jumped 18.7 percent in the past year, the most of any state.
Home prices in Idaho rose 13.1 percent, the second largest. Nevada’s home values rose 11 percent.
Home prices jumped 22.1 percent in Phoenix, the metro area with the biggest gain. Prices in Houston rose 6.6 percent, the second-highest increase.
The states with the biggest drops were Rhode Island (3.5 percent) and Illinois (2.3 percent).
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