House prices fell in April as buyers faced paying thousands of pounds more in stamp duty, according to new figures from Nationwide.
Prices were down 0.6% month-on-month, the building society said.
The slowdown in the market was expected due to changes to stamp duty thresholds kicking in on 1 April.
Annual house price growth also slowed, but homes remain 3.4% more expensive than they were a year ago, with the average price now at £270,752.
Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said there was a "significant jump" in transactions in March, with buyers bringing forward purchases to avoid the additional tax charges.
"The market is likely to remain a little soft in the coming months," he said.
But Mr Gardner added buying was likely to pick up as over summer due to earnings rising and the expectation of further cuts to interest rates.
