Massachusetts Home Buyer Guide

The price of homes in Boston were 9.6 percent higher in December 2013 compared to December 2012; however, home prices declined 0.1 compared to November 2013, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, a survey of home prices in 20 metropolitan areas. The report was released February 25, 2014.

All 20 cities showed year-over-year increases in home prices. Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco posted year-over-year gains of more than 20 percent. Only six cities – Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, Tampa and Washington – posted price gains on a month-to-month basis, comparing December 2013 to November 2013.

Las Vegas led the index with a year-over-year price increase of 25.5 percent. On a month-to-month basis, Las Vegas saw a 0.4 percent price increase. Cleveland had the smallest year-over-year increase at 4.5 percent, and on a month-to-month basis home prices declined 1.2 percent. Detroit remains the only city in the index with home prices below its January 2000 level.

Looking at the 20 cities combined, home prices increased 13.4 percent in December 2013 compared to December 2012, but declined 0.1 percent on a month-to-month basis.