Home Listings Show Modest August Rise

The number of homes for sale in 18 major metropolitan areas increased modestly in August.Total listings of homes in these metro areas at the end of August climbed 1.8% from a month earlier, according to figures compiled by ZipRealty Inc., a real-estate brokerage firm based in Emeryville, Calif. The data cover listings of single-family homes, condos and town houses on local multiple-listing services in those areas.Inventories were up about 18% from a year earlier in the 14 metro areas