Pending sales of existing homes, a better gauge of current sales activity, rose in June and contracts signed were up by double digits from year-ago levels, according to theNational Association of Realtors .

The trade group’s monthly report on pending sales, or contracts signed but sales not yet closed, rose 2.4 percent from May’s level. Pending sales were up 19.8 percent from June 2010, the low point in pending sales immediately following the expiration of the homebuyer tax credit.