The number of U.S. building permits issued for new construction rose 7.7 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.05 million, according to new data issued by the U.S. Census. This is 8.1 percent above the revised June rate of 973,000 and is 7.7 percent above the July 2013 estimate of 977,000.

Housing sector analyst Bill McBride of the blog Calculated Risk said July’s figures made for a "solid report," noting in a post on his site that "housing starts have been increasing after moving sideways for about two years and a half years…[these figures were] well above expectations of 963 thousand starts in July."

In the Northeast, building permits surged in July compared with June, with total permits up 18.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 120,000, and single-family permits up 20 percent. Permits in the Northeast were up 5.3 percent compared with July 2013. 

Across the country, single-family permits rose to a rate of 640,000 in July, 0.9 percent above the revised June figure of 634,000.

Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 382,000 in July.

Housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million. This is 15.7 percent above the revised June estimate of 945,000 and is 21.7 percent above the July 2013 rate of 898,000.

U.S. single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 656,000. This is 8.3 percent above the revised June figure of 606,000.

The Northeast outperformed the rest of the country, with housing starts at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 144,000, up 44 percent from June and up 26.3 percent compared with July. Single family starts, however, were flat compared with last year.

U.S. housing completions in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 841,000. This is 3.7 percent above the revised June estimate of 811,000 and is 8 percent above the July 2013 rate of 779,000.

Single-family housing completions in July were at a rate of 635,000; this is 6.2 percent above the revised June rate of 598,000.

The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 199,000.