Home prices rose in November, according to the widely read Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller composite index of home prices in 20 major markets. 

For the year, the index was up 5.5%. The index also showed its 10th consecutive month-over-month gain, beating the string of nine straight increases that occurred during the homebuyer tax credit incentives of 2009 and 2010. 

Of the 20 markets, Phoenix showed the biggest gains, up 22.8%. New York City was the lone market on the index to show a decline. It was down 1.2% from its reading of the previous year.