Florida Swimming Pool Construction Report – December 2018

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An HBW Report on swimming pool permit data for the month of December 2018

Last month, new swimming pool construction in Florida experienced a month-over-month increase of 67% in the HBW database, resulting in approximately 2,050 new permits with nearly $91M in total construction value.  Out of the five major areas reviewed (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), the highest concentration of new permits originated from Southwest Florida (560+ permits) where the average value of construction was $45,156.  Statewide, the average value of swimming pool construction ranged from $41,038 (Orlando) to $49,868 (Jacksonville).

Here is a closer look at new swimming pool construction and the builders leading starts by area:

Southwest

The southwestern region of Florida ranked #1 for new pool construction having more than 560 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $25M for the one-month period. The average value of new construction was $45,156, and more than half of all new swimming pool permits originated from the counties of Manatee (169 permits) and Lee (158 permits).

Out of the approximately 130 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits on file:

#1 – Coast to Coast Pools

#2 – Aragon Pools & Spas

#3 – Holiday Pools of West Florida

Southeast

The southeast ranked second highest for new pool construction last month, having more than 500 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $21M.  The average value of new construction was $42,532, and the highest concentration of swimming pool starts took place in Palm Beach County (208 permits).

Out of the 170 active pool contractors in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits on file with HBW:

#1 – Swimming Pool Contractors, LLC

#2 – A&G Concrete Pools

#3 – Fountain Blue Pool Service

Tampa

In Tampa, there were 422 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $20M during the month of December.  The average value of new pool construction was $46,943, and the highest concentration of new permits could be found in the counties of Hillsborough (123 permits) and Pinellas (83 permits).

Out of the 115 active pool contractors in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Olympus Pools

#2 – Tampa Bay Pools

#3 – Gulfstream Pools & Spas

Orlando

In Orlando, there were 350 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of nearly $14.4M added to the HBW database.  The average value of new swimming pool construction was $41,038, and the highest concentration of new construction took place in the counties of Orange (119 permits) and Osceola (97 permits).

Out of the 72 active builders in the area, the following ranked as the top three for total permits on file:

#1 – All Seasons

#2 – Bob’s Pool Service

#3 – Atlas Pools of Central Florida

Jacksonville

Last month, there were approximately 210 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $10.4M in Jacksonville.  The average value of construction was highest in Jacksonville ($49,868) in comparison to other regions reviewed, and the majority of permits originated from the counties of St. Johns (82 permits) and Duval (70 permits).

Out of the 72 active builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Pools by John Clarkson

#2 – Blue Haven Pools

#3 – Surfside Pools and Spas

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Florida Residential Construction Report – December 2018

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An HBW review of new residential construction permitting activity during the month of December 2018

FL New Resid. Permits by Area – December 2018

During the month of December, new residential construction in Florida experienced a massive 42% month-over-month increase, resulting in approximately 6,110 new permits being added to the HBW database.  Out of the five major regions reviewed (Tampa, Southwest, Southeast, Orlando, Jacksonville), Tampa held the greatest amount of new residential construction activity for the month (1,504 permits), while Orlando had the highest average value of construction (average value: $306,849).

Here is a closer look at Florida’s new home construction permits on file by region for the month of December 2018:

Tampa

Total # of Permits: 1,504

Average Value of Construction: $ 280,717

Top County for Total Permits: Polk County (418 permits)

Total # of Active Builders on File: 247 companies

Top Five Builders for Total New Permits:

Builder Total Permits
D.R. Horton 170
The Villages of Lake Sumter 154
Lennar Homes 152
M/I Homes 63
Pulte Homes 52

 

Southwest

Total # of Permits: 1,291

Average Value of Construction: $ 252,898

Top County for Total Permits: Lee County (351 permits)

Total # of Active Builders on File: 240 companies

Top Five Builders for Total New Permits:

Builder Total Permits
Lennar Homes 186
D.R. Horton 179
Pulte Homes 145
Neal Communities of SW FL 93
Taylor Morrison 32

 

Orlando

Total # of Permits: 1,282

Average Value of Construction: $306,849

Top County for Total Permits: Orange County (527 permits)

Total # of Active Builders on File: 180 companies

Top Five Builders for Total New Permits:

Builder Total Permits
Lennar Homes 204
D.R. Horton 148
Meritage Homes 78
Ryan Homes 58
KB Homes 52

 

Jacksonville

Total # of Permits: 1,139

Average Value of Construction: $230,052

Top County for Total Permits: Duval County (367 permits)

Total # of Active Builders on File: 163 companies

Top Five Builders for Total New Permits:

Builder Total Permits
D.R. Horton 286
Dream Finders Home 96
KB Homes 76
Lennar Homes 72
Mattamy Homes 69

 

Southeast

Total # of Permits: 892

Average Value of Construction: $293,689

Top County for Total Permits: St. Lucie County (303 permits)

Total # of Active Builders on File: 190+ companies

Top Five Builders for Total New Permits:

Builder Total Permits
Lennar Homes 129
D.R. Horton 66
Pulte Homes 33
GL Homes 32
Synergy Homes 30

 

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Texas Top Swimming Pool Builders – December 2018

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An HBW report on new swimming pool construction permits and leading pool builders in Texas during the month of December 2018

During the month of December 2018, there were approximately 670 swimming pool starts with a total value of nearly $36 million added to the HBW database for Texas.  Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), Dallas held the highest concentration of new permits (360+), while Austin held the highest average value of construction (average value: $72.3k).  The following is a breakdown of new swimming pool construction throughout Texas during the month of December by region:

Dallas

The Dallas area ranked #1 for new pool construction in December having more than 360 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $17.7 million.  The average value of new pool construction for the month was $48.6k, and more than half of all new construction took place in the counties of Collin (99 permits) and Denton (95 permits).

Out of the more than 120 active pool builders in the Dallas area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file for the one-month period:

#1 Riverbend Pools
#2 Gold Medal Pools
#3 Foley Custom Pools
#4 Hauk Custom Pools
#5 Premier Pools

 

Houston

Last month, there were nearly 150 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of $7.8 million in Houston.  The average value of new pool construction was $53.2k, and nearly half of all new construction activity took place in Harris County.

Out of the more than 85 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file:

#1 Platinum Pools
#2 Anthony & Sylvan Pools
#3 Cypress Custom Pools
#4 Premier Pools
#5 Southern Charm Pools

 

Austin

In Austin, there were approximately 115 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $8.2 million.  The average value of new pool construction was highest in Austin (average value: $72.3k) in comparison to the three other major metro areas reviewed, and more than half of all new construction took place in Travis County (69 permits).

Out of the approximately 65 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file:

#1 Cody Pools
#2 Anthony & Sylvan Pools
#3 Tri County Pools
#4 Majestic Poolscape
#5 California Pools of Austin

 

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were approximately 45 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $2.1 million on file for the month of December, and nearly all new construction activity took place in Bexar County (35 permits).  The average value of new pool construction was on the lower end of the spectrum at $47.6k+ in comparison to other metro areas, and out of the 18 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file with HBW:

#1 Keith Zars Pools
#2 Cody Pools
#3 Blue Haven Pools
#4 Backyard Vacation Oasis
#5 Pool Concepts by Pete Ordaz

 

To gain more information on the pool builders and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Texas Residential Construction Review – December 2018

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An HBW report on the latest residential construction permit data in Texas for the month of December 2018

Last year, Texas ended on a high note in new home construction.  During the month of December, there were 6,430 housing starts with a total construction value of approximately $1.6B, reflecting major month-over-month increase in HBW permits (>60%).  During the one-month period, Houston held the greatest total number of new residential construction permits (~ 2,720 permits), while Dallas continued to hold the highest average value (average value: $295,077) of new home construction.  From a builder perspective, D.R. Horton continued its lead and dominance in the new residential construction market having maintained its ranking as #1 home builder, month after month, for total housing starts in nearly all areas reviewed.

Here is a closer look at new residential construction permitting activity in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio for the month of December 2018:

Houston

Last month, Houston had the greatest total number of housing starts out of the four major metro areas reviewed.  There were nearly 2,720 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $565 million for the one-month period.

Average Value of Construction: $208,019 (lowest average value)

Top County for Total Permits: Harris County (1,427 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits:

Builder Total Permits
D.R. Horton 350
Lennar Homes 223
Camillo Properties 202

 

Dallas

During the month of December, Dallas ranked a close second for new residential construction having just over 2,420 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $714 million.

Average Value of Construction: $295,077 (highest average value)

Top County for Total Permits: Tarrant County (793 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits:

Builder Total Permits
D.R. Horton 553
Lennar Homes 206
First Texas Homes 129

 

Austin

In Austin, there were more than 900 housing starts last month, holding a total construction value of more than $238 million.

Average Value of Construction: $263,090

Top County for Total Permits: Travis County (628 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits:

Builder Total Permits
D.R. Horton 172
Pulte Homes 54
KB Homes 53

 

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were nearly 385 housing starts with a total construction value of more than $82 million last month, and the majority of new construction took place in Bexar County.

Average Value of Construction: $214,529

Top County for Total Permits: Bexar County (242 permits)

Top Builders for Total Permits:

Builder Total Permits
Lennar Homes 49
Continental Homes of Texas 39
KB Homes 35

 

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Three Futuristic Construction Innovations to Watch

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While the construction industry tends to be the slowest to pick up new technology, some of that appears to be changing.  New innovations and technology in construction are being developed, and it looks like a few of them could make a major impact (and improvement) on construction materials and building methods.  Here are three construction innovations that are both futuristic and realistic:

  1. 3D Printed Houses – 3D printed houses have been gaining recognition and provide us a glimpse into the future of construction.  The first company to build a 3D printed home was Chinese company WinSun, and in 2013, it printed ten homes in just a 24-hour period. Fast forward to 2017, just four years later, and we have Apis Core in San Francisco which successfully built a low-slung dwelling in Russia on location in a single day; the cost was just $10k. In addition to being quick to build and economical, 3D printed homes have the potential to serve an important purpose in areas where there is a high demand for new housing, such as post-disaster (hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes) and in underserved cities/towns where the poverty level is high. 3D printing could play an important role in the industry’s labor shortage, as well as open the doors to creative new designs in construction.
  2. Bamboo Buildings – Bamboo could possibly be the perfect natural building material. There is plenty of it available and the plant can grow up to four feet per day; it also regrows without the need for replanting. In addition to being sustainable and renewable, it is reportedly stronger than steel (2-3 times stronger) and more resilient than concrete. Along with its strength, it is also quite flexible, lending itself to construction in areas vulnerable to earthquakes.
  3. Smart Bricks – Did you ever enjoy building Lego sets? Well, get ready to put your skills to good use as some of the biggest Lego-style projects may one day make their way into real world construction.  An Israeli company by the name of Kite Bricks has been developing a new generation of bricks, called Smart Bricks; these bricks are built in a high-resistant concrete and designed to be easily joined together, just like your favorite Lego sets.  Smart bricks are very versatile and offer substantial thermal energy control.  Just as with 3D printing, smart bricks have the potential to reduce construction costs, and since they are modularly designed, they require little training to assemble and provide space for insulation, electricity and plumbing.

With these innovations, we have a chance to take sneak peek into the future of our industry, and they are opening the doors to more affordable, sustainable and cost-effective possibilities.

For more information on construction industry trends and business tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Upgrade Your Online Marketing in 2019

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With the new year comes opportunity for new marketing strategies.  And while you have probably defined your marketing strategy and campaigns for the coming year, it is never too late (or too early) to fine-tune your marketing efforts.  In recent posts, we have explored “Holiday Marketing Must-Haves” and “Tips for Content Marketing Success”, but today we are taking a wider approach to your marketing strategy by addressing ways to improve you email marketing and Search Engine Optimization:

Email Marketing

Did you know that marketing emails are 40 times more effective than posts on social media?  It is easy to get wrapped up in social media and its analytics, but don’t overlook the power of email marketing.  Ways to amp up your game in 2019 include:

  1. Professional Email Templates – There are numerous email marketing platforms available, many for a limited cost. Rather than attempting to craft a creative and eye-catching email on your own and directly from your outlook or email service provider, check out some of the professional templates offered by third-party companies that will increase the likelihood of getting your products and services noticed.
  2. Organize Contacts – Have you updated your contact lists? Are you monitoring your clicks, subscribers and open rates?  If so, you will want to update your contact lists accordingly.  While you have a valuable source for qualified prospects through HBW, you will want to make sure to have a system for managing, tracking and organizing those contacts.  You can import new and existing contacts into a format that allows you to organize them according based on specific criteria (i.e. location).
  3. Schedule and Automate – Crafting and distributing emails one-by-one is time consuming and often leads to missed opportunities. Plan and automate your emails in the coming year to stay ahead and send the right emails with perfect timing, automatically.

 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Optimizing your website for better search result rankings on search engines such as Google can be easier than you may think.  In addition to posting keyword and relevant content on your website, you can use tools to give a boost to your results:

  1. Get Social – Having an active social media profile already increases the likelihood that your company will be found considering that much search activity occurs within and through social networks. Major networks such as FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are a great place to start, but just be sure to have a link back to your website within your profile and relevant posts.
  2. Metadata – Discuss metadata with your website designer/manager. Three types of metadata include: title metadata (page titles); description metadata (textual description that a browser may use in your page search return); keyword metadata (key search words or phrases).  Make sure that your metadata reflects your primary services and popular search strings relevant to your company’s offerings.
  3. Targeted Advertising – If you are planning on running any ads online, make sure that you are running targeted ads. With the technology today, there are ways to directly reach your target audience with the right content at the right time which will increase the number of visitors to your website.
  4. Monitor Your Website – Tracking your website performance and visitors is important in identifying what works and doesn’t work in your pages, campaigns and ads. Check out Google’s webmaster tools as it serves as a great reference for understanding your Google site stats.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Home Construction Increased by 3.2% in November

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While home construction was up last month, single-family home construction was down for the third month in row.

According to the Commerce Department, and as reported on CNBC (source: CNBC video report), last month housing starts increased 3.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.256 million units; this increase was mostly due to the surge in multi-family housing projects – Building permits increased 5 percent to a rate of 1.328 million units during the month of November fueled by the increase in the fluctuating multi-family housing sector.  That being stated, single-family home construction declined for the third straight month, reflecting a 1.5 year low.  Based on the decline, some economists have expressed concern that it is sign of a slowing economy.

Contributing factors to the decline in single-family home construction go beyond simply a slowing economy.  The housing market is currently being limited by higher mortgage rates.  Additionally, limited land and the ever-growing labor shortage have also caused much of the housing market (and construction industry) to become sluggish in some areas.  As a result, inventory has tightened, and land constraints have also contributed to the limited single-family housing starts.  On top of that, there is the issue of affordability…  Although house price inflation has slowed, it is still above wage growth which can especially be problematic for bringing in first-time homebuyers.

According to Reuters, homebuilding investment was expected to have declined in the fourth quarter of 2018, and the “soft patch” is predicted to continue through the first half of 2019. The report also provided a breakdown of where single-family starts were up, and where the greatest drops could be found:

Southern U.S. – The South accounts for the majority of homebuilding, and in contrast to the overall dip nationwide, single-family housing starts jumped 6.8 percent in the South last month.

Northeast U.S. – Single-family starts in the Northeast took a dive in November, having experienced a 9.5 percent month-over-month decrease.

Western U.S. – With the devastating wildfires in California, it should come as no surprise that the West had the most dramatic month-over-month drop in single-family housing starts having a 24.4 percent decrease.

Midwest U.S. – During the month of November, single-family housing starts dropped 3.2 percent in the Midwest.

When looking at the latest permit activity, new permits for single-family home construction across the nation moved up ever so slightly by 0.1 percent. The total number of permits is now above the level of actual single-family starts, which may be indicative of an impending boost in new residential construction overall.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for new construction, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business

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A little inspiration for restarting and refocusing in the New Year

With New Year’s Eve often comes the desire to restart and create New Year’s Resolutions.  To make those resolutions a reality, they must be both realistic and attainable.  Often, we put so much pressure on the idea of resolutions that we bite off more than we can chew, and the new year hasn’t even started.  Additionally, many resolutions are “repeats” from the prior year, which should serve as a sign that goals should be reassessed.

For this reason, we have compiled a list of new year’s resolutions to consider for you, your business and your team.  Here are five resolutions to get started:

  1. Increase Social Responsibility – A business that gives back to the community is a business that is not only making a difference, but it is getting noticed. Volunteering and charitable giving foster a sense of collaboration and community for your team, as well as provide a sense of purpose.  Making efforts to be socially responsible has the potential to increase morale, as well as attract and retain employees (especially millennials).
  2. Expand Technology – Whether your CRM needs to be upgraded or you want to have more apps and onsite technology, improving your tech and gear is a goal that never goes out of style. Every year, something new and improved comes out on the market, often promising to make your internal operations easier and/or automated.  Whatever you choose, make sure it meets your overall company objectives, fits your budget and has been on the market long enough to prove its claims.
  3. Embrace Innovation – Don’t leave the creativity to your marketing team alone. Every team can use a little inspiration, and by embracing innovation in the new year, employees can inspire each other.  Your team holds the key to new and unique ideas for your business; after all, they are part of its success and understand daily operations better than anyone else.  How often do you solicit new business ideas from your employees? Encourage innovation by providing ways for team members to submit new and creative business ideas. This can easily be done through a suggestion box, and by creating contests and rewarding employees who submit the “most innovative” or “most creative” ideas, you can build momentum and make your business a place where innovation is both recognized and appreciated.  Consider adding monthly or quarterly brainstorming sessions specifically for sharing new ideas for management, communication, sales and more.
  4. Expand Contacts – A business can’t survive on repeat business alone. Take this year to set goals for expanding your leads and prospects.  Identify sources for leads, making sure they are accurate, current and industry-specific, such as those generated through HBW’s construction permits reports.
  5. Build Your Social Presence – Is your business taking full advantage of what social media has to offer? Through your website and social media platforms, you have the ability to reach thousands of potential customers. Additionally, when someone is given a referral to your company, sees an ad or hears your company name, their first step will most likely be to visit your website or look you up on FaceBook or Twitter. Take time to review and assess where you can improve on engaging your target audience through a properly developed social media strategy.

While this list is not comprehensive and covers only general areas of interest, perhaps it will spark a little inspiration and motivation to get your business focused on attainable goals that you can reach and even surpass in 2019.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Report – November 2018

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An HBW review of new swimming pool construction in Florida during the month of November 2018

Last month, there were more than 1,200 swimming pool starts throughout the State of Florida.  Out of the five major regions reviewed, the southwest region ranked #1 for total new permits on file with HBW (306 permits), and Jacksonville continued to carry a higher value of construction with the average value of new swimming pool construction coming in at approximately $53.5k.

Here is a closer look at the permitting activity for new swimming pool construction in Florida during the month of November 2018:

Southwest Florida

There were more than 300 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of approximately $13.5 million in Southwest Florida last month.  The counties with the greatest total number of new swimming pool permits on file for the one-month period include Lee and Collier.

Total Permits: 306

Average Value of Construction: $44,059.00

Active Builders: 88

Top Builder for Total Permits: Pinnacle USA (36 permits)

Top Counties: Lee County (140 permits); Collier County (73 permits)

 

Tampa

Last month, there were 267 swimming pool starts with a total construction value close to $13 million in Tampa.  More than half of all new pool construction took place in the counties of Hillsborough and Pasco.

Total Permits: 267

Average Value of Construction: $47,538.00

Active Builders: 85

Top Builder for Total Permits: Olympus Pools (27 permits)

Top Counties: Hillsborough County (98 permits); Pasco County (70 permits)

 

Orlando

Orlando ranked a close third for new swimming pool construction activity last month, having 263 new permits and total construction value in excess of $11 million.  More than half of all new construction permits originated from the counties of Orange and Brevard.

Total Permits: 263

Average Value of Construction: $41,886.00

Active Builders: 65

Top Builder for Total Permits: All Seasons (26 permits)

Top Counties: Orange County (90 permits); Brevard County (66 permits)

 

Southeast Florida

In the southeastern portion of Florida, there were 245 swimming pools starts with a total construction value in excess of $9 million last month.  The counties with the highest concentration of new permits include Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.

Total Permits: 245

Average Value of Construction: $37,102.00 (Lowest average value of construction in the State)

Active Builders: 112

Top Builder for Total Permits: A&G Concrete Pools (24 permits)

Top Counties: Miami-Dade County (76 permits); Palm Beach County (53 permits)

 

Jacksonville

While Jacksonville had the fewest total swimming pool starts (120 permits, total value: $6.4 million+), it held the highest average value of new construction (~$53.5k).  The majority of new pool construction could be found in the counties of St. Johns and Duval.

Total Permits: 120

Average Value of Construction: $53,514.00 (Highest average value of construction in the State)

Active Builders: 51

Top Builder for Total Permits:  Surfside Pools & Spas (11 permits)

Top Counties: St. Johns County (46 permits); Duval County (33 permits)

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Florida’s Top Three Counties for New Home Construction – November 2018

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An HBW review of the Florida counties and regions with the greatest amount of new residential construction activity (housing starts) during the month of November 2018

As previously published on our blog last week (“Florida’s Top Home Builders – November 2018”), there were more than 4,300 housing starts throughout the Sunshine State during the month of November.   Out of the five major regions reviewed (Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), Tampa ranked #1 for total housing starts (1,170 permits), and Orlando had the highest average value of construction (average value: $322,105).

When taking a look at the counties that are leading Florida for total housing starts, there were some high levels of new construction spread across the state, with the greatest concentration being in the Central region.  Here is a look at the top three counties for total new residential construction permits during the month of November 2018:

Orange County

Orlando’s Orange County is the center of everything Orlando. As Florida’s fifth-most populous county (population as of 2017: 1.349 million), it is no surprise that the greatest amount of new home construction is taking place there.  Last month, there were approximately 450 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $164 million in Orange County alone; that is nearly half of all new residential construction in Central Florida for the one-month period.

Hillsborough County

Ranking second-highest for total housing starts last month was Hillsborough County.  Hillsborough is home to the City of Tampa and is the fourth-most populous county in Florida, having a population of 1.409 million (2017).  Last month, there were approximately 375 housing starts in Hillsborough with a total construction value in excess of $127 million.

Pasco County

Pasco County ranked third-highest last month for new residential construction activity.  Pasco is significantly smaller than the neighboring county of Hillsborough, having a population of approximately 525,643 (2017).  Pasco County is included in the Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater Tampa Bay Area and is primarily considered a bedroom community for Tampa.  Last month, there were 300 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $89 million in Pasco County.

Other counties that held higher concentrations of new construction last month were Polk County (Tampa) with 298 new permits (total construction value: $62 million+) and Lee County (Southwest) with 294 new permits (total construction value: $65.1 million+).

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.