In total 33,573 NHBC-registered new homes were registered from July to September, compared with 28,151 in the same period last year.
The private sector fuelled the growth with a 23% increase to almost 25,000, while the public sector experienced a 10% rise to 8,589.
NHBC commercial director Richard Tamayo said the figures showed a sustained broad-based recovery in the UK new housing market, which had been boosted by government schemes such as Help to Buy.
"Looking ahead we are hopeful of a steady increase in registrations for the public sector as the National Affordable House Programme continues and are confident that year-end figures for overall 2013 housing levels will be the highest since the economic downturn began," said Mr Tamayo.
NHBC figures also show that over the past five years the proportion of new homes sold to people aged 55 or over has risen from 17% to 23%. The proportion of buyers in the under-25 bracket has fallen from 8% in 2008 to just under 6% this year.
