Dive summary:

• In a report hailed by the National Association of Home Builders as evidence of ongoing strengthening of the  housing market, federal officials said new-home sales last month were at an annual pace of 476,000 and came in 2.1% ahead of April's rate.
• The May number also was 29% ahead of May 2012, the Census Bureau said in its monthly report.
• Regional variations in the month-to-month change were wide, with the Northeast up 27%, the Midwest 40.7% and the West 3.6% and the South – which jumped from March to April – giving up 9% of its rate.

From the article:

“Today’s report confirms that the improvement we have been seeing in housing markets over the past year continues to take place at a gradual and steady pace,” said NAHB Senior Economist Robert Denk. ...