New home sales rise in December; 2005 sales shatter the record
The Commerce Department reported in late January that sales of new homes rose 2.9 percent in December. For the year, the department said a record 1.282 million new homes were sold, up 6.6 percent from 2004, capping a five-year rally.
Sales of new single-family homes climbed to a 1.269 million unit annual pace in December after falling sharply the previous month.