Housing Prices Are Rising And You'll Be Surprised What Country Analysts Worry About Most

Housing Dallas — A home sold in the United States. Reuters

Global house prices rose in the second quarter of 2013, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth since the beginning of 2012, according to the International Monetary Fund.

House prices increased in 32 of 51 advanced and emerging-market economies in the IMF’s Global House Price Index. In the second quarter of 2009, at the height of the housing crisis, house prices increased in nine countries.

housepricesaroundtheworld — House prices are increasing in more countries than they are decreasing in the IMF's Global House Price Index. IMF

housepricesrising — House prices eight percent below the 2007 peak and at 2006 levels. IMF

homepriceincreasesandecreases — Home prices are increasing at the highest rate in Hong Kong. IMF

Among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries, house price increases and decreases are more balanced, but the ratio of house prices to rents, which is a typical measure of house price valuation, is above historical averages. For example, in Canada, the ratio is 85 percent above the average.