After several years of downward trends in home values, a leading real estate index reports that home prices are beginning a slow climb back in the plus column.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller latest report, which looks at home prices in the country's 20 largest cities, finds that home values have increased 1.6 percent. And in the Atlanta metro area the news is even better: The report shows a 2.6 percent increase, according to a report in the  Los Angeles Times.

“The news on home prices in this report confirms recent good news about housing," said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "All in all, we are more optimistic about housing. Upbeat trends continue."

The increase is the third consecutive month that prices have risen in all 20 cities according to the report.

In the Atlanta metro area, where home real estate has been struggling since the housing market crashed in 2007, prices are still down 9.9 percent year over year.

For more local real estate information, check out Norcross Patch's Real Estate Guide.