Sales of new single-family homes rose 6.6 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 307,000 from the revised August rate of 288,000, but they were 21.5 percent below the 391,000 level in September 2009, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Commerce Department.

The median sale price of new homes sold in September was $233,800, a 3.3 percent increase from a year ago. An estimated 204,000 new homes were available for sale during the month, representing an 8.0-month supply at the current sales rate. Wed, Oct 27, 2010

Locally, in Charles County, September sales rose over 10% compared to last year, and while home values have been on the decline for the better part of the year, they were flat, compared to September 2009.