RISMEDIA

June 1, 2009

U.S. home prices fell in the first quarter of 2009 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) seasonally-adjusted purchase-only house price index (HPI). The previously announced, but revised January and February indexes showed increases in house prices, which were offset by a March decrease. The purchase-only HPI, calculated using home sales price information from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-acquired mortgages, was 0.5% lower on a seasonally-adjusted basis in the first quarter than in the fourth quarter of 2008. This decline was much more modest than the 3.3% decline in the prior quarterly period. Over the past year, seasonally-adjusted prices fell 7.1% from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009.

FHFA’s all-transactions house price index, which includes data from mortgages used for both home purchases and refinancings, showed more strength over the latest quarter than the purchase-only index. The all-transactions HPI rose 0.4% in the latest quarter and fell only 3.3% over the four-quarter period.

FHFA Director James B. Lockhart stated: “Our latest data are consistent with growing evidence that housing market conditions may be stabilizing in some parts of the country, especially areas not covered by the other major repeat sales price index,” said Lockhart. “I am hopeful that this first quarter data combined with recent market stimulus programs, such as the first-time homebuyer tax credit and President Obama’s Making Home Affordable Program may mean that home price depreciation may be easing.”

While the national, purchase-only house price index fell 7.1% from the first
quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009, prices of other goods and services fell 0.9%. Accordingly, the inflation-adjusted price of homes fell approximately 6.2% over the latest year.

Other significant findings include:
-As estimated in FHFA’s seasonally-adjusted, purchase-only indexes, six of the nine Census Divisions experienced price declines in the latest quarter. Prices were weakest in the Mountain Census Division, which experienced a 3.1% price decline in the quarter and strongest in the New England Division, which saw a price increase of 1.3%.
-Seasonally-adjusted, purchase-only indexes indicate that prices rose in the latest quarter in 20 states. Prices fell over the latest four quarters in 46 states
and Washington, D.C.
-Of the newly-released purchase-only indexes for the 25 most-populated
metropolitan areas in the U.S., four-quarter prices declines were greatest in
the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division. That area saw
price declines of 37.6% between the first quarters of 2008 and 2009. Prices held up best in the Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division, where prices rose 0.1% over that period.
-FHFA’s standard all-transactions indexes, which are available for far more
metropolitan areas than the purchase-only measures, indicate the strongest
market conditions in parts of Texas and the weakest conditions in parts of
California. Among the 294 ranked metropolitan areas, Corpus Christi, TX
had the greatest price increase over the latest four quarters with a rise of 4.1%. With a 37.8% decline, prices in Merced, CA were the weakest.
-Of the 20 ranked cities with the greatest four-quarter price declines (measured in the all-transactions indexes), all but two- Las Vegas-Paradise, NV and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ- were in California or Florida.