Please note that transaction records for August 2020 for Wayne County, MI are now available. Due to delays at the local recording office caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic were previously unable to generate a valid August 2020 update of the Detroit S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller indices.
However, there are not a sufficient number of records for the month of September for Detroit. Since Wayne is the most populous county in the Detroit metro area, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic are unable to generate a valid Detroit index value for the November release. When the sale transactions data fully resumes and sufficient data is collected, the Detroit index values for the month(s) with missing updates will be calculated.
YEAR-OVER-YEAR
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 7.0% annual gain in September, up from 5.8% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 6.2%, up from 4.9% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a 6.6% year-over-year gain, up from 5.3% in the previous month.
Phoenix, Seattle and San Diego continued to report the highest year-over-year gains among the 19 cities (excluding Detroit) in September. Phoenix led the way with an 11.4% year-over-year price increase, followed by Seattle with a 10.1% increase and San Diego with a 9.5% increase. All 19 cities reported higher price increases in the year ending September 2020 versus the year ending August 2020.
MONTH-OVER-MONTH
The National Index posted a 1.2% month-over-month increase, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.3% and 1.2% respectively, before seasonal adjustment in September. After seasonal adjustment, the National Index posted a month-over-month increase of 1.4%, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.2% and 1.3% respectively. In September, all 19 cities (excluding Detroit) reported increases before seasonal adjustment, and after seasonal adjustment.
ANALYSIS
"Housing prices were notably – I am tempted to say 'very' – strong in September," says Craig J. Lazzara, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "The National Composite Index gained 7.0% relative to its level a year ago, well ahead of August's 5.8% increase. The 10- and 20-City Composites (up 6.2% and 6.6%, respectively) also rose at an accelerating pace in September. The strength of the housing market was consistent nationally – all 19 cities for which we have September data rose, and all 19 gained more in the 12 months ended in September than they had done in the 12 months ended in August.
"A trend of accelerating increases in the National Composite Index began in August 2019 but was interrupted in May and June, as COVID-related restrictions produced modestly-decelerating price gains. Our three monthly readings since June of this year have all shown accelerating growth in home prices, and September's results are quite strong. The last time that the National Composite matched September's 7.0% growth rate was more than six years ago, in May 2014. This month's increase may reflect a catch-up of COVID-depressed demand from earlier this year; it might also presage future strength, as COVID encourages potential buyers to move from urban apartments to suburban homes. The next several months' reports should help to shed light on this question.
"Phoenix's 11.4% increase topped the league table for September; this is the 16th consecutive month in which Phoenix home prices rose more than those of any other city. Seattle (10.1%) and San Diego (9.5%) repeated in second and third place. Even the worst-performing cities, New York (4.3%) and Chicago (4.7%), did better in September than in August. Prices were strongest in the West and Southwest regions, but even the comparatively weak Midwest scored 6.0% gains."
SUPPORTING DATA
Table 1 below shows the housing boom/bust peaks and troughs for the three composites along with the current levels and percentage changes from the peaks and troughs.
| 2006 Peak | 2012 Trough | Current | |||||
Index |
Level |
Date |
Level |
Date | From Peak
|
Level | From Trough
| From Peak
|
National | 184.61 | Jul-06 | 134.00 | Feb-12 | -27.4% | 226.80 | 69.3% | 22.9% |
20-City | 206.52 | Jul-06 | 134.07 | Mar-12 | -35.1% | 232.53 | 73.4% | 12.6% |
10-City | 226.29 | Jun-06 | 146.45 | Mar-12 | -35.3% | 245.02 | 67.3% | 8.3% |