The RE/MAX National Housing Report found that the national median home price rose for the third straight month in April, indicating that the housing recovery in 2012 is continuing.

The report surveyed 53 metropolitan areas and found that the median home price was $161,000, 3.2 percent higher than in March and 5.9 percent higher than in April 2011. February marked the first time in 18 months that home prices experienced an increase, and data from March and April shows a positive trend.

Data revealed that of the 53 metro areas surveyed, 43 saw an increase in median home prices over last year, and 12 of those saw double-digit percentage increases.

Also encouraging was the fact that home sales in April were 4.1 percent higher than the previous year, making it the 10th month in which sales pushed higher year-over-year. Of the metros surveyed, 39 reported more home sales than a year before, with 18 showing double-digit percentage increases. These increases indicate a strong season, RE/MAX said.

The average Days on Market for all home sales in April was 96, a drop from March’s 101 and April 2011’s 98. In the last 12 months, the average for Days on Market has been below 90 in only two months. This is in contrast to what is expected in a market with a dwindling inventory and increased sales.

Based on the 53 metro areas surveyed, the report also showed that the inventory of homes for sale fell 3.7 percent and was 25.6 percent lower than April 2011. Month-to-month inventories have fallen for 22 consecutive months, owed largely to the fewer foreclosure properties coming to market.

At the current rate of sales, the average Months Supply is now 5.3, the same as March but two months lower than the 7.1 supply last year. Months Supply is the number of months it would take to clear a market’s active inventory at the current rate of sales. A six-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.