Fresno, CA Federal Housing Finance Agency Home Price Index (FHFA HPI)

The Fresno, CA, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI) is a weighted, repeat-sales index measuring average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. The index covers single-family homes nationwide and offers a more comprehensive measure of house price trends than either new home sales prices or median home prices.

In Fresno, CA, the FHFA HPI showed that home equity and home prices increased between 2000 and 2006, before declining during the housing market crash of 2007-2009. Home prices then began to recover in 2010 and have continued to rise through 2019. During this time period, the average annual rate of return on investment for homeowners in Fresno was 5.4%.

Between 2000 and 2019, the value of a typical home in Fresno increased from $131,000 to $369,000. This represents an increase of 181%, or an average annual growth rate of 6.3%. During the same time period, the US inflation rate was 3.3%, meaning that real (inflation-adjusted) house prices in Fresno more than doubled over this 19-year period.

The main drivers of rising house prices in Fresno during this time period were strong economic growth and population growth. Between 2000 and 2019, employment in Fresno County grew by 37% and the population grew by 21%. This led to strong demand for housing which drove up prices. Another factor that contributed to rising house prices was low interest rates which made financing a purchase easier and more affordable for buyers.

Looking forward, it is unclear how long current trends will continue given potential headwinds such as high levels of student loan debt among young adults which may make it difficult for them to afford a home purchase; however, given strong job growth prospects in Fresno County over the next few years as well as historically low interest rates , it is likely that we will see continued increases in both home equity values and house prices .