Home prices in April gained 5.1% from last year, while REO levels across the country slowed their climb, according to the real estate data provider Clear Capital. The firm measures home prices on a rolling three-month period. REO took up 29.6% of the market in April, less than a percentage point of growth from 28.9% in March when levels increased from 26.1% in February. The best performing markets manage to post positive gains as the tax credit expired in April. Alex Villacorta, senior statistician at Clear Capital, said an interesting dynamic they’re seeing is the distinction between markets that resist increased levels of REO and those that remain sensitive to them. “For example, the highest performing metro areas have seen prices remain relatively flat over the last quarter despite REO saturation rates averaging just above 33 percent. Contrast this with the lowest performing areas which have seen prices drop dramatically with average declines of more than 10 percent and a verage REO saturation rate less than those in the highest performing areas,” Villacorta said. “This paradox suggests that price trends are not wholly dependent on distressed sale volume, and re-enforces the need to understand local market trends.”
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