Despite a drop in new home sales during December, the U.S. saw a rise in the sale of such property during 2012.

Last month, new home sales dropped by 7.3 percent to 369,000; in November the nation saw its fastest rate of new home sales in two-and-a-half years.

But there is good news. New home sales saw a 20 percent increase in 2012, rising to an average of 367,000. This is the highest amount seen since 2009 as well as the first yearly gain since 2005. The housing market still has a ways to go, though, as economists see 700,000 as the new home sales figure that reflects a healthy market.