Despite the fact that home prices are decreasing nationwide, Denver is going against the grain, showing an increase in home prices compared to the

same months in the previous year. These numbers include resales of single-family homes and condominiums. In the Denver area, home prices increased

1% in January 2012 when compared to January 2011. This home price increase includes distressed property sales as well, accounting for foreclosures and short sales (when a home is sold for less than what the bank is owed).

In a report of home price indexes for December 2011 it was stated that there was an increase in home prices of 0.1% which makes a year-over-year

growth for two consecutive months. The price index decreased 3% nationally for the month of January 2012 when compared to January 2011 and decreased

1% from December 2011, but in Denver the price index increased a slight amount. Despite the fact that home prices are slowly improving, they are

still comparatively the same as they were 10 years ago.

The Denver price index, including distressed properties, increased 2.1% in January year-over-year. Although this increase may not seem significant, the Denver metro area was posting better numbers than the entire state of Colorado and much of the country. Throughout the entire state of Colorado there was

only a 0.1% rise year-over-year when distressed properties were accounted for and an almost 2% increase when they weren’t. January of 2012 is the

first month that the home price index for the entire state has risen.

Back in December it was reported that the home price index decreased 0.6% year-over-year in Denver when distressed property sales were included, but a 0.7% increase when they were not included in the numbers. Thankfully, though, the home price index for the Denver area is currently on an upswing and hopes are that it will only continue to post better numbers.