New Home Sales Rise 5.7% in September

New home sales increased in September after falling to a six-month low in August, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Sales rose 5.7% to an annual rate of 313,000, above economists’ forecasts of a 300,000 rate, Bloomberg reported.

The median price fell to $204,400, from $228,000 a year ago.

Sales increased 11% in the South and 9.7% in the West, but dropped 12% in the Midwest and 4.2% in the Northeast.

New home sales account for about 15% of residential real estate sales. Rising home sales can mean more business for flatbed trucking companies that haul building materials and dry van freight carriers that haul household appliances and furniture.