Dive summary:

• The increase in the annual pace of single-family housing starts was 27% in the first quarter of this year, and lenders started 27% fewer foreclosure proceedings than in the first quarter of 2012.
• It's not the story everywhere, but the information from RealtyTrac suggests builders are seeing a bright horizon as the competition from foreclosed homes ebbs.
• Texas, Florida, North Carolina, California and Georgia had double-digit increases in their quarterly rate of housing starts, and those states each had declining foreclosure rates, too.

From the article:

Nevada, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland and New York also noted increases in building permits, but posted an increase in foreclosure starts from a year ago. ...