US home prices fell for the second straight month in December, the S&P/Case-Shiller index shows, in a fresh sign of a slowdown in the housing market recovery.
The Case-Shiller index for 20 leading cities fell 0.1 per cent, matching the November decline.
There was still strength in some markets, with Washington, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Dallas, Miami and Tampa, Florida, showing gains while the rest were flat or lower.
Miami was the strongest in the month, with prices up 0.9 per cent.
December's decline rounded out an altogether soft fourth quarter of 2013, with prices down 0.3 per cent from the previous quarter.
Much of that has been attributed to the rise in mortgage interest rates during the middle of the year, as well as the sharp run-up in home prices since 2012 and tighter supply on the market.
Analysts also have said that severe winter weather in December may have hurt home sales.
But for the year, overall home prices nationwide were up 11.3 per cent, according to the report by S&P Dow Jones Indices.
David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee, said the national annual rise was the highest since 2005.
"However, gains are slowing from month to month and the strongest part of the recovery in home values may be over," he said in a statement.
"Higher home prices and mortgage rates are taking a toll on affordability."
