Market Insights

CoreLogic, a provider of information, analytics and business services, has reported that home prices in the United States decreased 0.4% on a month-over-month basis, the first monthly decline in four months. According to CoreLogic, national home prices, including distressed sales, also declined on a year-over-year basis by 4.4% in August 2011 compared with August 2010. This follows a decline of 4.8% in July 2011 compared with July 2010.

Housing prices will remain depressed for the next several years and may get even worse, according to a just-released survey of economists, analysts, investors and housing experts. The survey was conducted by MacroMarkets, a firm founded by Yale University professor Robert Shiller.

Research from Zillow Digs found that second thoughts are common among DIYers.

The two-day HIRI Home Improvement Industry Summit to be held Oct. 19 to 20 in Chicago at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, will kick off with a presentation examining economic turmoil and a view from Wall Street.

Josh Rosenbaum, managing director – global industrial group for UBS, will offer thoughts on the direction of the economy, the possibility of another recession, the mood on Wall Street and the unemployment situation. The presentation will address the hottest issues facing the economy and the industry from a Wall Street perspective.

Zillow.com points to down payments as the biggest hurdle to home ownership among renters.

Will supply be called into question as demand continues to rise? Here's what our readers had to say.

Why the housing market didn't lead us out of the recession, and other insights