More and more homeowners are putting up their properties for sale as inventories of existing residential properties in major cities across the country expanded in June.

A ZipRealty report showed that the number of homes listed for sale in 27 major metropolitan areas jumped 3.7% last month from May. Residential real estate inventory also grew by 2.1% from a year ago. The report included data for single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses.

Real estate markets in the West Coast registered the biggest monthly increase in inventories. The numbers of homes listed for sale in Las Vegas jumped by 10.5%, while the city of San Diego and Orange County in California reported a 9.4% and 7% increase, respectively. Meanwhile, only Jacksonville, Florida, reported a 1.5% decline in inventory among the 27 metropolitan areas covered by ZipRealty.

Market analysts said real estate inventories are expected to grow further in the second half of the year due to falling demand. Data showed that home demand have fallen sharply since the expiration of the first-time home buyer’s tax credit program as sales of newly constructed homes fell to a record low in May, while pending sales plunged 30% from April.

A possible increase in the number of foreclosed properties is also likely to contribute to growing inventories as more banks are expected to repossess homes in the later part of the year. According to reports, more than seven million borrowers are seriously delinquent or are in some stage of foreclosure.

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