U.S. single family home prices fell for the seventh straight month in January, fresh evidence that the housing market recession is not yet over, a closely watched survey said on Tuesday.

The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas declined 0.2 percent in January from December on a seasonally adjusted basis where a Reuters poll of economists forecast a drop of 0.4 percent. Prices in the 20 cities have fallen 3.1 percent year-over-year compared to 3.2 percent expected.