With December data in, CoreLogic was able to show that the housing price index decreased by 4.7 percent in 2011 compared with December 2010, marking the fifth consecutive year of a downward trend. That number factors distressed sales into the index. Excluding distressed sales, home prices decreased by 0.9 percent from the previous year. While the number is in the red regardless of whether distressed sales are included, the difference between the two figures is distinct enough to demonstrate the intense effects of distressed sales on home equity. In December 2011, excluding distressed sales, the house...