Home prices nationwide increased 8.3 percent, including distressed sales, in December 2012 compared with December 2011, according to the December home price index report released today by the California-based CoreLogic.

Excluding distressed sales, home prices increased on a year-over-year basis by 7.5 percent in December 2012 compared with December 2011. That increase represents the biggest year-over-year increase since May 2006 and the 10th consecutive monthly increase in home prices nationally. The analysis further showed that all but four states are experiencing year-over-year price gains.

Home prices in Massachusetts increased 4.4 percent in December including distressed sales, and 5.5 percent excluding distressed sales.

"We are heading into 2013 with home prices on the rebound," Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic, said in a statement. "The upward trend in home prices in 2012 was broad-based with 46 of 50 states registering gains for the year. All signals point to a continued improvement in the fundamentals underpinning the U.S. housing market recovery."

January 2013 home prices, including distressed sales, are expected to increase 7.9 percent on a year-over-year basis from January 2012, according to the firm’s pending home price index. Excluding distressed sales, January 2013 house prices are expected to increase 8.6 percent year over year from January 2012.