US Home Prices Continue to Dive

The latest Case-Shiller Home Price numbers show that US Home Prices continue to fall at an accelerated rate. From S&P:

Steep Declines in Home Prices Continued in February 2008 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indicies

Data through February 2008, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show declines in the prices of existing single family homes across the United States worsened in the second month of the new year, with 17 of the 20 now reporting MSAs posting record low annual declines, 10 of which are in double-digits.

The chart above depicts the annual returns of the 10-City Composite and the 20-City Composite Indices. Both of the composite indicies are now reporting annual declines in excess of 12.5%. The 10-City Composite posted a new record low annual decline of 13.6%, and the 20-City Composite recorded an annual decline of 12.7%.

“There is no sign of a bottom in the numbers,” says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor's. “Prices of single family homes continue to drop across the nation. All 20 metro areas were in the red for the February-over-January reading. In addition, 19 of the 20 MSAs are still reporting negative annual returns. The monthly data show that every one of the MSAs has now declined every month since September 2007, marking six consecutive months. On top of that, the declines have remained steep with eight of the 20 MSAs and both composites reporting their single largest monthly decline in February.”

The bottom-callers were notably absent yesterday and rightfully so. A bottom in house prices and sales is still not in sight.