US home prices jumped in July even as sales level off

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices climbed steadily in July even as sales slowed, evidence that a supply shortage of houses for sale is distorting the real estate market.

The Standard & Poor’s CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home price index rose 5.9 percent in July from a year earlier, slightly faster than June’s 5.8 percent annual pace.

Sales of both new and existing homes slipped over the summer, which typically might slow price gains. But demand remains strong and has created bidding wars among potential buyers, pushing up prices at a much faster pace than incomes. The number of existing homes for sale fell 6.5 percent in the past year.

Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Las Vegas saw the largest increases, with prices in Seattle soaring 13.5 percent in July from a year earlier.