Your home might not make you rich, but it'll sure help keep you out of the poor house.

U.S. home price appreciation has grown twice as much as non-housing inflation in the last four years, thanks largely to the recent real estate boom.

Since the second quarter in 1994, home prices nationwide soared 21.9 percent. Approximately one fourth of that, 5.3 percent occurred just in the last 12 months, according to the second quarter report from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Released yesterday, OFHEO's House Price Index said housing prices everywhere outpaced the rate of inflation. Sixteen states and Washington, D.C. had home appreciation rates higher than the national average of 5.3 percent during the second quarter this year.

OFHEO's quarterly index tracks average house price changes in repeat sales and refinancing of the same single-family properties. The numbers, calculated with data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages, represent true changes in value, not simply price.

OFHEO regulates the financial safety and soundness of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the nation's largest housing finance institutions.

The office gauges housing market strength by comparing housing price growth to price growth in other industries. When home prices grow more rapidly than others, as they are now, the sale of a home affords a seller additional buying power.

Owning a home in an appreciating market also means equity to tap and greater financial security.

By region, New England states feels that security more that others. New England states out paced other regions with a 7.8 percent home price appreciation rate during the second quarter, followed by Pacific states and West North Central states (both at 6.3 percent); East North Central (5.2 percent); Mountain (5.1 percent); West South Central (4.7 percent); South Atlantic (4.4 percent); Middle Atlantic (4.3 percent) and East South Central (4.2 percent).

By state, Massachusetts' homeowners are enjoying the best increase in home prices. Massachusetts home prices rose 9.3 percent during the second quarter this year, followed by Washington, D.C. (8.3 percent); New Hampshire (8.1 percent); Minnesota (8.1 percent); Colorado (8 percent) and California (7.7 percent).

State's with lowest second quarter rates of price appreciation include Maryland (3.2 percent); Alabama (3.1 percent); Idaho (3 percent); Pennsylvania (2.9 percent); Nevada (1.6 percent) and Hawaii (0.1 percent).

Hawaii is the only state in the nation with home price depreciation, (minus 10.5 percent) during the last five years.

Published: September 3, 1999

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