Average U.S. home prices rose 1.3 percent in April compared to the month before, according to the latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index released Tuesday. The month over month increase was the first in seven months. In Chicago, April home prices were 1.1 percent higher than March, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

In other news:

Battle brewing over foreclosures and whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be exempt from Illinois real estate transfer taxes. Read more in the Chicago Tribune.