Home prices rose in nearly 90 percent of all U.S. housing markets during the 2nd quarter of 2013, according to the National Association of Realtors. Why you ask? Tight inventory continues to drive up home prices across the country. Specifically in California, Sacramento, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. One of the major reasons inventory has been so limited is that millions of homeowners have not financially been able to offload their homes without taking a loss, be it an out-of-pocket expense on the loan at closing or a credit loss associated with a strategic default. READ MORE