Hottest cities for real estate

Here's a quick peek at housing by the lists: Biggest price increases, best sellers' markets and most underwater homes.

By Marilyn Lewis Tue 7:49 PM

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You might have thought you'd never see another top-10 list of hot rea estate markets after the housing boom's spectacular crash. Never say never.

Housing's coming back, mostly. It's creeping back in some places, leaping in others, but also still down in a few. 

Here's a quick peek at housing by the lists: one list of the country's hottest markets, another of the best markets for sellers, and one more of states with the most underwater homes. The last is a reminder that, while housing is healing, it's not off the sick list yet.

Hottest cities

Seven years after housing peaked and began its perilous descent, prices are again growing in many cities. FNC, a real estate analytics company, follows prices in 30 metros. On average, prices in those 30 cities rose 5% in 2012.

But the housing market's recovery is uneven. Phoenix and Denver are enjoying double-digit price growth over last year, yet homes in Chicago lost 0.05% of their value, according to FNC's index. Prices didn't move much last year in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston and San Antonio.

FNC says these 10 cities had the biggest home value increases in 2012. Here's the list, with the percentage of growth for each:

1. Phoenix, 22.8%. 
2. Denver, 10.8%. 
3. Miami, 8.7%. 
4. Sacramento, 8.6%. 
5. Detroit, 8.3%. 
6. San Francisco, 8%. 
7. Las Vegas, 7.9%. 
8. San Diego, 7%. 
9. Dallas, 6% . 
10. Riverside, Calif., 6%. 

Read More:  http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?post=b68cf806-3abd-4754-a02c-17910e900c2c&goback=%2Egde_4069128_member_216749295