New Home Sales Continue Upward Trend

New home sales in Orange County increased 19% during the second quarter from the same time last year, a real estate consulting firm said. A total of 2,399 new homes were sold in the second quarter, up from sales of 2,016 a year ago. Second-quarter sales were up 15% from the first quarter this year, when 2,086 new homes were sold.

“The signs are promising for the Orange County new home market,” said Heidi Gothard, consultant for the Meyers Group in Irvine, which provided the data.

The number of new single-family homes on the market in Orange County also is increasing, although the totals are lower when condominiums are included. Based on current sales rates, the supply of new housing in Orange County stands at 2.8 months, down from 3.5 months during the first quarter.

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Debora Vrana covers real estate for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-5979 and at debora.vrana@latimes.com