Auckland house prices have stopped rising.

Latest data from real estate firm Barfoot and Thompson shows the average sales price declined by two percent in December, when compared to previous three months.

The average was $913,709.

Managing Director, Peter Thompson, says the modest retreat is similar to that which occurred last December and it took until March for prices to begin to rise again.

Over the year, the average sales price increased by 8.6 percent, the lowest rise in four years.