Two depressing information dumps today: The National Association of Realtors reported that U.S. home sales in August dropped to their lowest level in five years, while the S&P/Case-Shiller index — which tracks repeat sales of single-family homes — found sizable price losses in major metro areas in July.

The NAR numbers also showed the months' supply of unsold homes rising to its highest level in 18 years.

The Case-Shiller index doesn't track Baltimore, but it does include the Washington metro area. Prices there dropped about 7 percent in July compared with the same month last year, according to the index. Overall, prices in the 20 metro areas Case-Shiller follows fell nearly 4 percent, with the worst drops in Detroit, Tampa and San Diego.