• Building permits pulled for residential structures with five or more units went up 18% nationally in May, according to data compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. The organization calculated that activity averaged 258,000 units over the past three months.
• NAHB found that apartment rents, figured on an annualized basis, went up 6% in May. That was the largest jump since late 2008.
• Prices for existing condos and cooperatives reached a median of $180,000 in May, which is a return to a level not seen for three years.

From the article:

Permits for 5+ buildings surged by nearly 18 percent in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).