The Best & Worst Housing Markets in 2011

The Best & Worst Housing Markets in 2011

The housing market has been struggling to return to pre-recession levels, even as the U.S. economy continues to grow and jobless rates begin to fall.

However, some markets are improving this year. Fiserv, a financial services technology company, tracks more than 375 housing markets across the U.S. with populations of 500,000 or more through its Case-Shiller Indexes. The company forecast home values across the U.S. for 2011, giving us the five markets with the largest home value increases in 2011 and five markets that are expected to decline the most in 2011.

The best markets aren't seeing large jumps in home values, but the worst markets are seeing some big declines and are concentrated in some of the states hardest-hit by the recession. Fiserv remains optimistic about the American housing outlook, however, saying that consumers will lead the way.

“As confidence rises, the decline in home sales that started in 2006 will, finally, come to an end,” said David Stiff, Fiserv's chief economist.

Keep reading for the best and worst housing markets this year.

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