Sales of new single‐family houses in December 2018 were up 3.7% from November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 621,000, but sales were down 2.4% compared to December, 2017, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The report was delayed by the partial government shutdown in December and January.

An estimated 622,000 new homes were sold in 2018, 1.5% above the 2017 figure of 613,000.

The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2018 was $318,600. The average sales price was $377,000.

The seasonally‐adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of December was 344,000. This represents a supply of 6.6 months at the current sales rate.