• Commerce Department data say May saw a two-year high point for sales of newly built homes nationally, with the South and Northeast up and the West and Midwest down.
• Low mortgage rates helped, along with a supply of existing homes that is finally shrinking, and the average price was up 5.6% to $234,500.
• The pace of new-home sales would yield 369,000 for the year, which is 7.6% over the April rate and is almost 20% higher than May 2011.

From the article: "Sales of newly built homes climbed to the highest level in two years, driven by limited supply of previously owned homes and record-low mortgage rates. ..."