CNNMoney reports the National Association of Realtors says previously-owned homes sold at an annual rate of 4.92 million in Jan., 2013,, a nine percent increase since last year at this time. Home prices climbed 12.3 percent to a median of $173,600, the largest percent gain in eight years. There was a four-month supply of homes on the market at current sales levels, 1.74 million of them, the leanest supply of homes available since 1999. Compared to Jan. of 2012, distressed home sales accounted for only 23 percent of sales in Jan. 2013, as opposed to 35 percent of sales a year ago. As MHProNews has learned, in Jan. builders applied for the most building permits in four years.

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