by Calculated Risk on 9/29/2020 09:21:00 AM

S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for July ("July" is a 3 month average of May, June and July prices).

This release includes prices for 20 individual cities, two composite indices (for 10 cities and 20 cities) and the monthly National index.

From S&P: S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Reports 4.8% Annual Home Price Gain in July

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 4.8% annual gain in July, up from 4.3% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 3.3%, up from 2.8% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a 3.9% year-over-year gain, up from 3.5% in the previous month.

Phoenix, Seattle and Charlotte reported the highest year-over-year gains among the 19 cities (excluding Detroit) in July. Phoenix led the way with a 9.2% year-over-year price increase, followed by Seattle with a 7.0% increase and Charlotte with a 6.0% increase. Sixteen of the 19 cities reported higher price increases in the year ending July 2020 versus the year ending June 2020.
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The National Index posted a 0.8% month-over-month increase, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 0.6% before seasonal adjustment in July. After seasonal adjustment, the National Index posted a month-over-month increase of 0.4%, while the 10-City and 20- City Composites posted increases of 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively. In July, 18 of 19 cities (excluding Detroit) reported increases before seasonal adjustment, while 18 of the 19 cities reported increases after seasonal adjustment.

“Housing prices rose in July,” says Craig J. Lazzara, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “The National Composite Index gained 4.8% relative to its level a year ago, slightly ahead of June’s 4.3% increase. The 10- and 20-City Composites (up 3.3% and 3.9%, respectively) also rose at an accelerating pace in July compared to June. The strength of the housing market was consistent nationally – all 19 cities for which we have July data rose, with 16 of them outpacing their June gains.

“In previous months, we’ve noted that a trend of accelerating increases in the National Composite Index began in August 2019. That trend was interrupted in May and June, as price gains decelerated modestly, but now may have resumed. Obviously more data will be required before we can say with confidence that any COVID-related deceleration is behind us.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

The first graph shows the nominal seasonally adjusted Composite 10, Composite 20 and National indices (the Composite 20 was started in January 2000).

The Composite 10 index is up 4.3% from the bubble peak, and up 0.5% in July (SA) from June.

The Composite 20 index is 8.7% above the bubble peak, and up 0.6% (SA) in July.

The National index is 18.6% above the bubble peak (SA), and up 0.4% (SA) in July.  The National index is up 60% from the post-bubble low set in December 2011 (SA).

The second graph shows the Year over year change in all three indices.

The Composite 10 SA is up 3.3% compared to July 2019.  The Composite 20 SA is up 4.0% year-over-year.

The National index SA is up 4.8% year-over-year.

Note: According to the data, prices increased in 18 cities month-over-month seasonally adjusted.

Price increases were slightly above expectations.  I'll have more later.