The year 2000 was a very good year for home sales in the U.S., and this fact is reflected in new home appreciation numbers released by the Office of Federal House Enterprise Oversight late last week. The new data show that home prices rose 8.1 nationwide last year, making 2000 the best year in recent memory for home price appreciation. Last year’s rate was up from 6.4 percent in 1999 and 4.7 percent in 1998.