New home sales rise in U.S.

WASHINGTON —  Sales of new single-family houses in December 2013 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 414,000, according to estimates released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 7.0% below the revised November rate of 445,000, but is 4.5% above the December 2012 estimate of 396,000. The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2013 was $270,200; the average sales price was $311,400. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of December was 171,000. This represents a supply of 5 months at the current sales rate. An estimated 428,000 new homes were sold in 2013. This is 16.4% above the 2012 figure of 368,000.