The numbers: An ongoing and persistent lack of homes in the resale market is pushing more home buyers into new construction, which caused sales to surge for the second month in a row.
The strength in new home sales was also driven by a massive jump in sales in the south. Overall, new home sales are trending higher as buyers grapple with a low level of home listings in the existing home sales market.
U.S. new home sales rose 4.1% to an annual rate of 683,000 in April, from a revised 656,000 in the prior month, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.
The number is seasonally adjusted, and refers to how many homes would be built over an entire year if builders continue at the same pace every month.
The jump exceeded expectations on Wall Street. Economists had forecast new home sales to fall to 669,000 in April.
The data from February was revised significantly. New home sales rose to a revised 656,000 in March, compared with the initial estimate of a 9.6% increase to 683,000.
The new home sales data are volatile month-on-month and are often revised.
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