Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 2.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 464,000 units in November 2013 from an upwardly revised strong pace of 474,000 units in the previous month, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Except for October 2013, this is the strongest sales pace since July of 2008.

"This figure is consistent with NAHB's member surveys, which show increasing confidence in the market," said Rick Judson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Charlotte, N.C. "Meanwhile, the very low supply of new homes on the market and tight credit conditions for home buyers show that builders are still cautious about getting ahead of themselves." 

"The previous three months for new-home sales have all been revised up, and the final quarter of 2013 is shaping up to be the best quarter since the second quarter of 2008," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "Historically low interest rates, affordable home prices and a healing economy are bringing buyers back into the marketplace."

Regionally, new-home sales were mixed in November. Both the West and the Northeast showed improvement, with respective increases of 31.1% and 15.2%. New-home sales in the Midwest dropped by 26.6% and the South posted a 9.1% decline.

The inventory of new homes for sale declined to 167,000 units in November, which is a 4.3-month supply at the current sales pace.