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Texas Home Prices Remain Strong, Rise 3.6 Percent in Dallas

October 30, 2012

Texas home prices continued to show great gains in 2012, increasing in the August Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.

By Peter Ricci

Home prices in Texas continued their strong 2012 performance in August, with Dallas home prices increasing 3.6 percent year-over-year in the latest Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the economic measure from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) that is considered the authority on home prices in the U.S.

Standard & Poor’s does not track home prices in Houston for the Case-Shiller, but it’s data for Dallas have been nothing but positive, and have been consistent with much of what we’ve been reporting about Houston’s housing market.

Texas Home Prices – Reflective of National Case-Shiller

The home prices for the national housing market were similarly encouraging, as S&P reported:

• Home prices increased 0.9 percent for both the 10- and 20-City Composites, which collect home prices for the 10 and 20 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.
• This is the fifth straight month of monthly increases for both composites, and interestingly, the increases come at a time of the year when home sales traditionally decline, and prices with them.
• Of the 20 cities S&P tracks, 19 posted positive monthly returns.
• Also, the 10- and 20-City Composites increased annually by respective amounts of 1.3 and 2.0 percent, which are improvements over July’s yearly increases of 0.6 and 1.2 percent.

David M. Blitzer – Home Prices “Climbing”

David M. Blitzer, the chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said that not only do home prices continue to increase, but they are one of several components pointing to a housing recovery.

“The sustained good news in home prices over the past five months makes us optimistic for continued recovery in the housing market,” Blitzer said. “News on home prices confirms other good news about housing. Single family housing starts are 43 percent ahead of last year’s pace, existing and new home sales are also up, the inventory of homes for sale continues to drop and consumer mortgage default rates are reaching new lows. Further consumer confidence continues to rise.”