Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 6.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 517,000 units in April, according to data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Sales are moving forward and our builder members are telling us they are starting to see more activity as more buyers get off the fence and enter the marketplace,” said Tom Woods, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo.