The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose two points this December.
The last highest index was in April of 2006.
"Current sales expectations and future expectations have broken 50 and flipped over into more optimism," NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said in an interview. "This is the fourth consecutive month [those sub-indices have been above 50], so that's a good, solid foundation."
Although things are progressing for the better, only those with the best credit are able to get a mortgage now, in part to the most recent housing bust.
