Property prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in April reaching a seven-month high, government data showed on Monday.

The Rating and Valuation Department said home prices rose by 0.54 percent, down from the 1.4 percent growth reported in March.

But compared to April last year, prices were down by 8 percent.

Prices of small and medium-sized units last month were 0.5 percent higher than they were in March, and those for large-sized homes went up by 1.3 percent.

Private rents, meanwhile, rose by 1.4 percent.