DESPITE A DISMAL HOUSING TREND, HOME PRICES IN KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL ARE ON THE RISE. THE STANDARD & POOR’S/CASE-SHILLER INDEX REPORTED YESTERDAY THAT ITS NATIONWIDE HOME PRICE INDEX PLUMMETED 14.1 PERCENT IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR VERSES THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, HOME PRICES IN THE KINGSPORT AREA CONTINUED TO INCREASE BY OVER HALF OF A PERCENT. IN THE KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL METRO AREAS, PRICES INCREASED JUST SLIGHTLY OVER FIVE PERENT IN THE PAST YEAR AND JUST OVER 33 PERCENT IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.