Capital Briefs: FDIC Says Real Estate Market Is Improving

The strong real estate market continued to improve this winter, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s quarterly survey of the market.

Released Wednesday, the FDIC's survey showed that the national composite index hit 72, up from 71 in October and 68 a year ago. (Scores above 50 show government examiners and liquidators said a market was improving. The higher the score, the more respondents agreed that conditions were improving.)

Breaking down the composite figure, the residential real estate index jumped to 70, from 67 in October and 65 a year ago. Residential scores rose in every region except the Midwest, where the index fell 2 points, to 57. By contrast, the West registered a 9-point gain to 84, while the South's score rose 7 points, to 71.

"The residential markets are definitely looking very strong," said John P. O'Keefe, chief of the FDIC's economic analysis section.

The commercial real estate index fell to 73, from a record 77 in October, but was up from 71 a year ago. The commercial index fell in the South, Midwest, and West, and was unchanged in the Northeast.

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