Local home sellers asking 15 percent more than last year

The Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area is ranked No. 5 in the nation for the largest year-over-year increases in asking prices, up nearly 15 percent from 2011, according to Realtor.com.

Nationwide, the median list price was $191,500 in September, only about 0.78 percent higher than a year ago, according to the most recent housing data release from Realtor.com. But in several metros across the country, asking prices are more than 10 percent higher than what they were a year ago.

The following metros are showing the strongest rebounds in asking prices in the past year, according to September housing data from Realtor.com.

1. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, Calif.
• Median list price: $725,000
• Year-over-year increase: 32.05 percent
2. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.
• Median list price: $190,000
• Year-over-year increase: 26.66 percent
3. San Francisco
• Median list price: $750,000
• Year-over-year increase: 18.11 percent
4. San Jose, Calif.
• Median list price: $579,000
• Year-over-year increase: 17.50 percent
5. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.
• Median list price: $367,950
• Year-over-year increase: 14.98 percent
6. Sacramento, Calif.
• Median list price: $239,000
• Year-over-year increase: 14.23 percent
7. Oakland, Calif.
• Median list price: $387,503
• Year-over-year increase: 13.97 percent
8. Boise City, Idaho
• Median list price: $170,000
• Year-over-year increase: 13.33 percent