Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast rose 24.1 percent in August to 36,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. July’s revised annual rate was 29,000. Nationally, new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000, up 5.7 percent from July and up 21.6 percent from August 2014. To read the entire U.S. Commerce Department press release, click here.