In September, newly built, single-family homes decreased 3.5 percent to 959,000 from a downwardly revised August number, according to the latest Commerce Department monthly report.

Despite the monthly decline, the September rate is still 32.1 percent higher than the September 2019 pace. On a year-to-date basis, new-home sales are up 16.9 percent in 2020.

On a regional basis, new-home sales increased in all four regions, year-to-date: 22.5 percent in the Northeast, 25.9 percent in the Midwest, 14.4 percent in the South and 18 percent in the West.

(TNS)—Wearing a costume and mask for Halloween has long been a holiday tradition. But a costume mask is not a substitute for a protective mask. Cloth masks combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, slow the spread of COVID-19.