Lackluster home price performance continued in March and April compared to a year ago, though monthly performance was better. Distressed home sales, which hold back existing home prices, declined in April for the first time since November. Price performance is likely to improve in the coming months as distressed sales decline seasonally and inventories remain stable. However, job growth and available financing are still needed for more potential buyers to enter the market.

1. Home Price Monitor May 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Research Division Cutting Through the Noise: Various Home Price Measure

4. Home Prices Sources: NAR, Case-Shiller, CoreLogic, FHFA, Census, HAVER

5. Home Price Data – Year over Year Change Sources: NAR, Case-Shiller, CoreLogic, FHFA, Census, HAVER

6. Home Price Changes *All data are not seasonally adjusted. Monthly changes should typically be computed only for Seasonally Adjusted (SA) data. Because these change rates are often covered in the media regardless of their suitability for analysis, they are presented here but should be used with caution. Annual (yr-over-yr) changes computed for Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA) data give a measure that is not affected by seasonal fluctuations. Sources: NAR, Case-Shiller, CoreLogic, FHFA, Census, HAVER

7. Spread of Existing Home Price Changes Year over Year Sources: NAR, Case-Shiller, CoreLogic, FHFA, HAVER

8. Supply and Demand Factors – Inventory Sources: NAR

9. Supply – New Housing Starts and Permits Sources: Census

10. Underlying Demand – Job Growth and Hires Sources: BLS

11. Potential Job Growth – Openings Sources: BLS

12. Housing Affordability Sources: NAR

13. About the Price Data Series Sources: NAR, Case-Shiller, CoreLogic, FHFA, Census, HAVER