There have been several numbers floating around in real estate during the past few weeks which ought to interest anyone now living indoors. In basic terms, the numbers say home values are soaring and property demand is likely to remain strong for years to come.

First, the good folks at the Federal Reserve have issued their quarterly flow of funds study, a document which tells us something about how the economy is doing.

For the second quarter of 2003 we find several important items:

Home values nationwide totaled $15.3966 trillion at the end of June -- up $199.7 billion from the first quarter and a rise of $3.8837 trillion since 1999, or 33.73 percent.

Despite the upward surge on Wall Street since March, the value of corporate stock stood at $5.0072 trillion at the end of the second quarter -- down $3.9849 trillion from 1999. That's a loss of 44.3 percent.

The net worth of U.S. households is on the rise -- at the end of June household wealth stood at $41.2488 trillion, up from $39.5807 trillion in the first quarter. That's an increase of $1.6681 trillion or 4.2 percent. This is remarkable given that we have some 9 million people out of work and nearly two million who have simply given up looking for jobs.

The figures above do not tell us that all home values have risen or that every property is a good investment. Instead, what they say is that in the general case the demand for housing has been strong and remains strong because real estate has been a good place for most people to put their money.