U.S. homebuilder Lennar Corp reported its sharpest rise in orders in three quarters and said it was seeing strong signs of improvement in sales activity.
Miami-based Lennar's new home orders have been increasing for four straight quarters as sentiment towards home purchases in the United States improves.
Low interest rates and home prices, and rising rental rates are prompting Americans to consider owning a home.
"We have seen a noticeable improvement in our sales pace per community" Lennar's Chief Executive Officer Stuart Miller said in a statement.
"We have been able to increase sales prices and have started to reduce sales incentives in some of our communities," he added and said the company would continue to be profitable in 2012.
New orders jumped 33 percent to 3,022 homes in the December-February period.
Homebuilder sentiment in March was the highest level since June 2007. And the S&P homebuilding sub-industry index <.GSPHOME> has doubled in value since October.
However, the recovery in the housing market is far from complete as a glut of unsold homes continue to pull down prices.
Last week, KB Home posted a surprise quarterly loss, hurt by smaller margins and more cancellations, and warned that the recovery would not be across the board.
Lennar, which also provides mortgage financing and invests in distressed real estate, said first-quarter profit was $15 million, or 8 cents a share, down from $27.4 million, or 14 cents a share, a year ago.
Analysts expected earnings of 4 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
SOURCE Reuters
