National home prices increased 18.5% year over year in December 2021, according to the latest CoreLogic Home Price Index (HPI®) Report. The December 2021 HPI gain was up from the December 2020 gain of 8.9% and was the highest 12-month growth in the U.S. index since the series began in 1976. Price appreciation averaged 15% for the full year of 2021, up from the 2020 full year average of 6%. Home price growth in 2021 started off at 10% in the first quarter, steadily increasing and ending the year with an increase of 18% for the fourth quarter. While home price growth is expected to slow during 2022, the CoreLogic HPI Forecast shows it will remain high in the first half of the year and average 9.6% for the full year.