The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Treasury recently released the administration’s Housing Scorecard for January 2014. The scorecard, which collects data on the health of the housing market and the administration’s recovery efforts, shows progress in many key areas. According to the latest report, home sales, foreclosure starts, and homeowner equity all saw significant improvement in 2013. Kurt Osowski, HUD’s deputy assistant secretary for economic affairs, said the number of properties which started the foreclosure process fell 33 percent last year, while sales of previously owned homes rose 9.1 percent. With foreclosures down, home sales up, and equity continuing to grow, the housing market continues to make steady progress, Osowski said. In fact, home sales posted their strongest numbers in several years and homeowners’ equity is up $3.4 trillion since the beginning of 2012. Still, officials caution that the economy is still healing, despite the positive trends in the housing market. More here.