Houston No. 1 for home value growth

HOUSTON – Houston is among only nine major metros with higher home values now than five years ago.

Between second quarter 2007 and second quarter 2012, the Houston area’s house price index increased 5.82 percent, according to a Business Journals’ On Numbers analysis of data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

That ranks the area No. 1 among the nation’s 102 major metros. Pittsburgh, Pa., and Buffalo, N.Y., also increased more than 5 percent.

No. 4 Austin (up 3.79 percent) and No. 7 San Antonio (up 2.25 percent) are the only other Texas metro areas that have experienced increases since the onset of the recession.