Annual Home Price Growth Slows to Two-Year Low

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., said year-over-year home price growth ended its 21-month streak of double-digit momentum in November, posting an 8.6% gain, the lowest rate of appreciation in two years.

The company’s monthly Home Price Index and HPI Forecast noted although 16 states bucked the national trend and saw annual double-digit increases, appreciation decelerated in many popular housing markets across the country. Southeastern states still led the country for price growth in November, but also saw some of the most pronounced cooling. Similarly, relatively more expensive Western areas also posted substantial combined declines in recent months since spring’s peak.

Courtesy CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif.

Nationwide, the recent price deceleration pushed November home values 2.5% below the spring 2022 peak. Selma Hepp, executive deputy chief economist with CoreLogic, said in 2023, home values will likely move even further from that high point, as price growth begins recording negative year-over-year readings in the second quarter.

“Although home price growth has been slowing rapidly and will continue to do so in 2023, strong gains in the first half of last year suggest that total 2022 appreciation was only slightly lower than that recorded in 2021,” Hepp said. “However, 2023 will present its own challenges, as consumers remain wary of both the housing market and the overall economic outlook. And while the recent decline in mortgage rates may bode well for the housing market, potential homebuyers are grappling with the idea of buying amid possible further price declines and a continued inventory shortage.”

Other report takeaways:

–On a month-over-month basis, home prices declined by 0.2% from October.

–Annual appreciation of attached properties (8.8%) was 0.3 percentage points higher than that of detached properties (8.5%).

–Annual U.S. home price gains are forecast to slow to 2.8% by November 2023.

–Miami posted the highest year-over-year home price increase of the country’s 20 largest metro areas in November, at 21.3%, while Tampa, Florida retained the No. 2 spot at 17.3%.

–Florida and South Carolina recorded the highest annual home price gains, 18% and 13.9%, respectively. Georgia posted the third-highest growth, with a 13.6% year-over-year increase. Washington, D.C. ranked last for appreciation at 1.2%.