The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which is considered the “gold standard” for appreciation, showed home prices nationwide rose 0.7% from August to September after seasonal adjustment, marking the eighth consecutive month of gains. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) House Price Index also saw home prices rise 0.6% in September, with their index setting new record highs in home prices every month since February.

Note that FHFA’s report measures home price appreciation on single-family homes with conforming loan amounts, which means it most likely represents lower-priced homes. FHFA also does not include cash buyers or jumbo loans, and these factors account for some of the differences in the two reports.

What’s the bottom line? Home values have hit new all-time highs according to Case-Shiller, FHFA, CoreLogic, Black Knight and Zillow, more than recovering from the downturn we saw in the second half of 2022. Prices are now on pace to appreciate between 6-8% this year depending on the index, based on the reported pace of appreciation through September. These indexes show that now remains a great opportunity for building wealth through homeownership and appreciation gains.