Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast in December rose 53.6 percent to 43,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. November’s revised annual rate was 28,000.

Nationally, new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000, up 11.6 percent from November. This is 8.8 percent above the December 2013 total of 442,000. To read the entire U.S. Commerce Department press release, click here.