Home prices lag inflation, meaning homeowners are losing out on their investment

Core Insights - Home prices in the U.S. rose 1.5% in August year-over-year, a slight decrease from the 1.6% increase in July [1] - The pace of home price increases is lagging behind the current inflation rate of 3%, leading to a real-term erosion of housing wealth for the fourth consecutive month [2] - High mortgage rates have contributed to the stagnation in home prices, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate decreasing from just below 7% in June to 6.19% by the end of August [3] Market Trends - Buyer demand is being negatively impacted by mortgage rates remaining above 6.5%, limiting transaction activity during the typically busy summer season [4] - The New York metropolitan area experienced the highest annual price gain at 6.1%, while cities like Tampa, Phoenix, and Miami saw declines of 3.3%, 1.7%, and 1.7% respectively [5] - Significant price weaknesses were noted in the West, with San Francisco down 1.5%, Denver down 0.7%, and San Diego down 0.7%, indicating a broader trend of declining prices in certain metropolitan areas [5]