Which monthly Census report measures the number of newly constructed homes sold?

The monthly Census report that measures the number of newly constructed homes sold is New home sales.

The U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development publish the New Residential Sales report, commonly called New Home Sales. It estimates sales of new, privately owned single-family houses nationwide and by Census region. A sale is generally counted when a sales contract is signed or a deposit is accepted, even if construction has not begun or the house is still being built.

This differs from existing home sales, which track previously occupied properties and are compiled by the National Association of Realtors. Housing starts measure construction begun, not completed sales, while homebuilder confidence is a survey-based sentiment indicator rather than a transaction count.

The series began in 1963 and is released monthly, usually around the 17th working day after the reference month. Headline figures are seasonally adjusted annual rates, and preliminary estimates are later revised as additional data arrive.