Home prices nationwide, including distressed sales, increased on a year-over-year basis by 6.3 percent in October 2012, compared with October 2011, according to a new report by real estate data firm CoreLogic. This change represents the biggest increase since June 2006 and the eighth consecutive increase in home prices nationally on a year-over-year basis.

According to the firm’s data, all but five states experienced year-over-year price increases in October, including Massachusetts, which enjoyed a 3.6 percent price increase.

Excluding distressed sales, home prices nationwide also increased on a year-over-year basis by 5.8 percent in October 2012 compared with October 2011. On a month-over-month basis, excluding distressed sales, home prices increased 0.5 percent in October 2012 compared with September 2012, the eighth consecutive month-over-month increase. Distressed sales include short sales and real estate owned (REO) transactions. In Massachusetts, home prices rose 4.7 percent, excluding distressed sales.

"We are seeing an ongoing strengthening of the residential housing market," Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic, said in a statement. "Reduced inventories and improving buyer demand are contributing to stability and growth in home prices which is essential to the long term health of the housing market and the broader economy."

Based on its index of pending sales, the firm expects home prices to rise approximately 7 percent in November, as compared with November 2011.

Including distressed sales, the five states with the highest home price appreciation were: Arizona, up 21.3 percent; Hawaii, up 13.2 percent; Idaho, up 12.4 percent; Nevada, up 12.4 percent; and North Dakota, up 10.4 percent.

Including distressed sales, the five states with the greatest home price depreciation were: Illinois, down 2.7 percent; Delaware, down 2.7 percent; Rhode Island, down 0.6 percent; New Jersey, down 0.6 percent; and Alabama, down 0.3 percent.