Florida Residential Construction Review – March 2023

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An overview permit data for new home construction in Florida during the month of March

Last month, there were approximately 4,250 new residential construction permits with a total value of $1.4 billion in the Sunshine State.

Out of the five regions reviewed (Tampa, Southwest, Orlando, Southeast, Jacksonville), the greatest volume of new home construction could be found in the Southwest (1,044 permits), while the highest average value of construction took place in the Southeast (average value: $427,482).

When it comes to home builders, two mega-builders continued to dominate the market, landing on the top three list in all regions reviewed; those builders were D.R. Horton and Lennar Homes which had 639 and 492 new permits on record for the one-month period respectively.

Here is an overview of permit data by region for new home construction in Florida during the month of March 2023:

Southwest

In the southwestern region of Florida there were approximately 1,045 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $326M last month. The average value of new home construction was $312,459, and the county with the highest concentration of housing starts was Lee County (401 permits).

Out of the 240 home builders with new construction activity on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Lennar Homes129
2-Pulte Homes82
3-D.R. Horton57

Tampa

Tampa carried 1,030 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $298M last month.  The average value of new home construction was $289,052, and the majority of new construction activity took place in the counties of Hillsborough (336 permits) and Polk (263 permits).

Out of 160 home builders with new construction activity on record with HBW in the Tampa area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-D.R. Horton175
2-Lennar Homes132
3-The Villages Land Co.121

Orlando

Last month, there were more than 1,020 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $353M in the Orlando area. The average value of new home construction was $346,026 for the one-month period, and more than half of all new construction activity took place in Orange County (309 permits) and Brevard County (305 permits).

Out of 150 home builders with new construction activity on record in the Orlando area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-D.R. Horton135
2-Lennar Homes132
3-Dream Finders Homes62

Jacksonville

Last month, there were 619 new residential construction permits with a total value of approximately $175M on record with HBW for the Jacksonville area.  The average value of new home construction was lowest in Jacksonville (average value: $282,381) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and more than half of all new residential construction permits originated from the counties of St. Johns (197 permits) and Clay (135 permits).

Out of nearly 100 contractors with housing starts on record in the Jacksonville area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-D.R. Horton210
2-Dream Finders Construction76
3-Lennar Homes32

Southeast

In the southeast, there were nearly 535 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $228M last month.  As previously noted, the average value of new home construction was highest in the southeast (average value: $427,482) in comparison to other Florida regions reviewed, and more than half of all new permits originated from St. Lucie County (229 permits) and Palm Beach County (145 permits).

Out of the 95 contractors with new permits on record in the southeastern region of Florida last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-GL Building Corporation126
2-Lennar Homes67
3-D.R. Horton62

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 Home Construction Quarterly Review Q1-2023

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A brief summary of permit data for new residential construction in Texas from January through March 2023

Earlier this week, we reviewed the latest HBW construction data reports and reported that new swimming pool construction is off to a slow start in Texas so far this year, and it appears that the residential construction market is following the same downward pattern. Since the start of this year (thru Q1-2023) there have been approximately 11,300 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database from the combined areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio; this figure reflects a major 55 percent decrease in new home construction in comparison to the same period last year.

Out of the four regions reviewed, each metro area has demonstrated significant year-over-year decreases in new residential construction ranging from -52 percent (Houston) to -66 percent (San Antonio). While each region is exhibiting a slowing in the market, the greatest concentration of new permits could be found in Houston (5,038 permits) and Dallas (3,856 permits) as nearly 80 percent of all new permits originated from those areas.  The remaining permits were derived from Austin (1,454 permits) and San Antonio (950 permits).

When reviewing the latest reports to identify the counties with the highest levels of new home construction activity, the following ranked as the top five:

#1 – Harris County (Houston): 2,773 permits

#2 – Montgomery County (Houston): 1,186 permits

#3 – Tarrant County (Dallas): 963 permits

#4 – Dallas County (Dallas): 891 permits

#5 – Collin County (Dallas): 862 permits

When it comes to higher value construction (homes with construction values in excess of $500k), there were nearly 1,350 new higher value permits on record for Texas during the three-month period, with 69 percent of those permits originating from Dallas (562 permits >$500k) and Houston (367 permits > $500k).

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.

Swimming Pool Construction Losing Momentum in Texas

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A quarterly review (Q1-2023) of new swimming pool construction activity in Texas

Since the start of this year, there have been just over 1,850 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database for Texas; this figure reflects a substantial year-over-year decline of 44 percent in pool construction. This decrease stands in sharp contrast to the annual growth we have seen in the Lone Star State over the last several years.  In fact, since 2019 the market has shown improvement, with year-over-year increases ranging from a low of 1 percent (2022) to a high of 29 percent (2020). And while 2022 demonstrated slower growth than previous years, the major decline in the first quarter of this year is a notable shift from an established upward moving pattern.

In the latest Swimming Pool Construction Activity Trend Report (Q1-2023) produced by HBW, all four major metro areas in Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio) are on a low when it comes to new pool permits this year. Year-over-year drops in new swimming pool construction range from -40 percent (Austin) to -51 percent (Houston). Out of the four regions reviewed, the greatest concentration of new construction could be found in Dallas (906 permits), while the lowest level of construction took place in the San Antonio area (172 permits).

From a county perspective, there are five counties that carried 63 percent of all new swimming pool construction across the state; those counties are as follows:

#1 – Harris County (Houston) – 294 permits

#2 – Dallas County (Dallas) – 245 permits

#3 – Travis County (Austin) – 224 permits

#4 – Tarrant County (Dallas) – 206 permits

#5 – Collin County (Dallas) – 197 permits

While it is still early in the year, leaving ample time for the market to play a bit of catch up, the latest reports certainly demonstrate a slowing in new swimming pool construction that is worthy of monitoring and reviewing in future HBW reports.

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 Swimming Pool Construction Review – March 2023

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An overview of permit data for new swimming pool construction in Texas during the month of March

Last month, there were 465 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $26.2M added to the HBW database for Texas.  The permits on record were pulled from within the four major areas of Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio). 

Out of the four areas reviewed, the greatest concentration of new pool construction activity took place in Dallas where there were 220 permits for the one-month period, and the highest average value of new pool construction could be found in Houston (average value: $74,981).

Here is a closer look at the total new permits, construction values, leading counties and contractors for new swimming pool construction in each of the four metro areas of Texas last month:

Dallas

As previously noted, Dallas carried the highest level of new swimming pool construction in comparison to other Texas metro areas last month, having 220 new permits with a total construction value of approximately $11.4M.  The average value of construction was $51,616, and the majority of all new permits originated from the two counties of Dallas and Denton where there were 71 permits and 56 permits respectively.

Out of nearly 120 contractors with new swimming pool construction activity in the Dallas area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Riverbend Pools11
2-Claffey Pools10
3-BMR Pools9

Houston

In Houston, there were more than 140 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value of approximately $10.6M.  The average value of construction in the Houston area (average value: $74,981) was highest in comparison to other areas reviewed, and more than half of all new permits originated from Harris County (92 permits).

Out of more than 90 contractors with new swimming pool construction activity on record in the Houston area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Platinum Pools15
2-Avree Pools8
3-Horizon Pools4

Austin

Last month, there were nearly 65 new swimming pool construction permits with a total construction value of approximately $3M in the Austin area.  The average value of construction was $47,111, and more than half of all new construction activity took place in Travis County where there were 43 new permits on record for the one-month period.

Out of more than 40 contractors with new swimming pool construction activity in the Austin area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Cody Pools7
2-Anthony & Sylvan Pools4
3-Denali Pools3

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were more than 40 new swimming pool construction permits with a total value in excess of $1.3M million added to the HBW database last month.  The average value of new pool construction was lowest in the San Antonio area (average value: $32,561) in comparison to other Texas regions reviewed, and more than half of all new permits originated from Bexar County (28 permits).

Out of 25 contractors with new swimming pool construction activity on record in the San Antonio area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Keith Zars Pools9
2-Backyard Vacation Oasis5
3-Gary’s Pool & Patio3

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 Residential Construction Report – March 2023

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A summary of permit data for new home construction in Texas during the month of March

Last month, Texas experienced approximately a 5 percent month-over-month decrease in new home construction, resulting in 3,535 new permits with a total value of nearly $1.1B added to the HBW database.  Out of the four Metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), Houston (1,705 permits) carried the highest level of new construction activity, while the highest average value of new construction projects could be found in Austin (average value: $399,193).

Total Permits

Out of the thousands of new residential construction permits added to the HBW database last month, Houston (1,705 permits) carried the greatest concentration of new home construction activity, while the lowest level of new construction took place in the San Antonio area (213 permits). The breakdown is as follows:

Average Value

Last month, the average value of construction ranged from a high of $399,193 (Austin) to a low of $213,395 (San Antonio). The average value of construction from each Texas Metro area is as follows:

Austin: $399,193

Dallas: $333,052

Houston: $272,219

San Antonio: $213,395

Leading Counties

Statewide, there were three counties where approximately 45 percent of all new residential construction took place; those counties are as follows:

  1. Harris County (Houston): 963 permits
  2. Tarrant County (Dallas): 302 permits
  3. Dallas County (Dallas): 298 permits

Top Home Builders

While the leading home builders vary widely and are specific to each region for the most part, from a statewide perspective there were five home builders that carried 32 percent of all new permitting activity last month; those companies are as follows:

  1. D.R. Horton – 386 permits
  2. Lennar Homes – 244 permits
  3. Perry Homes – 220 permits
  4. Meritage Homes – 176 permits
  5. Pulte Homes – 106 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.

Atlanta Swimming Pool Construction Quarterly Review

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An overview of permit data for new swimming pool construction in the Metro Atlanta area during the first quarter of 2023

Earlier this week, we reviewed HBW’s latest “Construction Activity Trend Reports” to review and assess the residential construction market in Metro Atlanta. Today, we will be using similar reports to identify where new swimming pool construction is booming (and not) across Atlanta.

Based on the latest reports, there have been 644 new swimming pool construction permits added to the HBW database for Metro Atlanta; this figure reflects a 38 percent decline in new pool construction in comparison to the same period last year.  Out of the 24 counties that were included in the report, three counties carried approximately 37 percent of all new permits on record for the three-month period; those counties are as follows:

Fulton County

During the first quarter of this year, Fulton County demonstrated a 39 percent year-over-year decrease in new swimming pool construction; despite the decline, Fulton was the leading county for pool construction, having 122 new permits on record with HBW for the quarter.

Gwinnett County

In Gwinnett County, there were 62 new swimming pool construction permits on record for Q1-2023, reflecting a 23 percent decline in construction in comparison to the same period last year.

Cobb County

Although Cobb County ranked #3 for new pool construction with 54 new permits on record through Q3, the area has experienced a major decline in new permits (-52%) in comparison to the same time last year.

While the above listed areas carried the highest concentration of new swimming pool construction activity so far this year in the Metro Atlanta area, there are other areas like Paulding County that have lower levels of construction (24 permits) but are reflecting a strong start (+71% YOY) to 2023. HBW will continue to monitor new permitting activity and update the database so that the latest permit data is available to subscribers and changes in the market can be identified more easily and used for better understanding where contractor services are in demand or slowing. With just one quarter on record for 2023, there is still ample time for shifts in the market and development for more substantial and established patterns in each region.

Information utilized for the above listed figures for Metro Atlanta swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW 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 Home Construction Slows in Metro Atlanta During Q1-2023

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A review of permit data for new home construction in the Metro Atlanta area during the first quarter of 2023

Based on HBW’s latest quarterly “Building Activity Trend Report” for new residential construction in the Metro Atlanta area, new home construction is off to a lagging start as of Q1-2023.  In line with the annual decline in 2022, it appears that new home construction isn’t showing any signs of improvement in the Metro Atlanta area so far this year.

From January through March of this year, there have been 3,576 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database for Metro Atlanta, reflecting a 41 percent year-over-year decrease in permits. Out of the twenty-four counties reviewed and included in the report, more than 33 percent of all new home construction activity took place in three major counties as follows:

Gwinnett County – In the first quarter of this year, Gwinnett County carried the highest concentration of new home construction activity, having 549 new permits on record with HBW for the three-month period; this reflects a 33 percent year-over-year decrease in new residential construction activity.

Cherokee County – Cherokee County ranked #2 for new home construction during the first quarter of this year as there were 323 new permits on record with HBW for the three-month period.  After last year’s annual increase in new residential construction activity in Cherokee County, there appears to be a major slowing of construction as there has been a 52 percent decline in total permits in comparison to the same time last year.

Fulton County – In Fulton County, there were 321 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database during Q1-2023; this figure reflects a 28 percent year-over-year decrease in new home construction.

As far as higher value residential construction (>$500k) is concerned, there have been approximately 350 new residential construction projects throughout the Metro Atlanta area added to the HBW database in Q1-2023.  Nearly half of all higher value permits in the first quarter of this year originated from the counties of Fulton and Cherokee where there have been 76 permits and 85 new permits added to the HBW database respectively.

Information utilized for the above listed figures for Metro Atlanta residential construction was directly derived from HBW 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.

5 Ways for Contractors to Amp Up Marketing

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You don’t need to be a marketing professional to know a thing or two about marketing to your clients. On the contrary, you most likely have some of the most useful insight on your target audience – as a business owner, you know your clients’ wants and needs better than anyone else. You know the frequently asked questions, the greatest concerns, pricing challenges, as well as how to remain competitive in the market. The key to solid marketing is bringing all of that insight together to create a cohesive strategy that best reflects your brand and reaches your target audience.

Today, we are sharing five easy actions you can take on your own to improve your marketing efforts:

  • Optimize Your Website – Just having a website is not enough, especially if you created it some time ago. In order to make the most out of your website, you should review it to ensure that all information is up-to-date. Ways to contact you should be clear and visible on every page, as well as a call to action. Other pages and information to consider if you don’t already have them is a request form for consultation, newsletter sign-up, FAQs section, and pricing or special offers for common services. Additionally, you should check that your website is mobile-friendly and that all of the most important information is visible and is optimized for mobile viewing.
  • Gather Testimonials and Reviews – While your website may already have a testimonials section, it is important that you continue to request and gather positive reviews and feedback. Share a link with every customer to post a Google review and have a survey ready to send at the closing of every project. The feedback received will not only strengthen your marketing efforts, but it will also provide valuable insight on your customer experience.
  • Create Email Marketing Campaigns – Email is still a viable way to reach customers, especially if done correctly. Always provide an option to opt-in rather than spam your customers and prospects, and be sure to acquire your leads from a reliable source such as HBW. Once you plan an email marketing campaign, use the tracking features to gain an understanding of what is getting “clicks” and the time of day when your audience is most receptive.
  • Engage on Social Media – Social media can be intimidating for many contractors, especially because there is often very little time to manage it. The truth is that the majority of your clients and prospects are on social media and will be highly influenced by the content and ads they see in their feed. According to Sprout Social, more than 68 percent of consumers have already purchased directly from social media and nearly all (98%) consumers plan to make at least one purchase through social shopping or influencer commerce this year. Those statistics can’t be ignored, and it is a clear indication that your business should be active on social media. A good place to start would be to choose one or two platforms and create a schedule for posting a variety of content. Your strategy will continue to develop based on your engagement rates.
  • Improve SEO – While there are entire businesses dedicated to Search Engine Optimization, there are some things that you can do on your own to improve your local business search ranking. Start by researching and finding the appropriate keywords for your industry, specialties and service areas. From there, you should incorporate those keywords throughout the text and body of your website, as well as on the descriptions and titles of images and videos. Google takes in a number of factors when it comes to search rankings, so beyond the keywords, you will also want your website to be mobile-friendly, running on a reliable website builder/platform, and properly secured (SSL certificate).

Remember, your business and connections with your clients hold the key to understanding how to develop a successful marketing strategy. Continue to grow your network and nurture current client relationships, create and share engaging content, and you will be better positioned to attract and serve new customers.

For more information on construction business 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.

Using Your LinkedIn Profile to Benefit Your Business

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Did you know that your personal profile on LinkedIn can be just as important as your company page when it comes to promoting your business? LinkedIn has been gaining momentum among social media platforms, and the stats make it difficult to ignore; in fact, as of the start of this year, the network reported having 875 million members, and more than 58 million businesses have LinkedIn accounts. It is a prime spot to not only find your next hire, but to make B2B connections as there are 2.7 million companies posting on LinkedIn every day.

LinkedIn has held strong as the primary professional social media platform, providing space for networking, and making connections to boost business, industry presence and partnerships. Aside from the obvious of setting up a company page and linking it to your personal profile, there are several ways you can improve upon your personal LinkedIn profile to build brand awareness. Here are 5 actions to get you started:

  1.  Have a Strategy – When you first established a personal profile, you most likely just put down the basics – name, company, photo. If that sounds familiar, then you may want to revisit it with a strategy in mind. Who are you trying to reach? How is your message aligned with your business goals? It is essential that you understand your audience and have a clear intention for using the platform. If you are a construction professional who is looking for a job, then your profile should look different than an established business owner looking to attract new clients.
  2. Use Impactful Images – On LinkedIn there are two primary images that will serve as a first impression to someone visiting your profile – your profile photo and your header image. While having a professional photo for your profile may seem obvious, you would be surprised by how many users have blurry, low-resolution, or less than professional photos for their profile. It is worth investing in a one-time photo session to get it right, and you may choose to enhance it by having your logo on your shirt or in the background. As far as the header image is concerned, it is often left blank on personal profiles, when it could be optimized as a space to highlight some of your top-notch projects and designs.
  3. Check Your Headline – Your personal “headline” will follow you wherever your profile shows up in searches and across LinkedIn, so it is important to put thought into the terms you use. For example, instead of having “Contractor” or “Business Owner” as your headline, consider something like “Custom home builder specializing in…” Be direct and clear; it should serve as an introduction without sounding like a one-liner business promotion.
  4. Activate Features – Did you know that there is a “featured” section on LinkedIn? The featured section enables you to add a link to your website and portfolio, as well as show examples of your work. Click on “Add Profile Section”, and under “Recommended” you will find the “Featured” section where you can add videos, documents, articles, images and links.
  5. Align Your “About” – Just like your website and nearly any social platform, LinkedIn has an “About” section. Many people keep this section blank or copy an introductory statement from their resume, but it could be used as an opportunity for viewers to connect with you and your brand. Consider crafting a unique statement that summarizes what you do and why it is important to you. Be both brief and inspirational, and keep your future clients in mind – What are they looking for in a provider of your services and/or products?

LinkedIn has been gaining traction over the years, evolving from a resume style platform to a full multi-purpose professional network. In order for your business to grow, you must expand your presence. Continue to make new “connections” and share your company’s posts within your personal network.  By creating a solid personal profile that reflects your brand and business activity, you can get the most out of LinkedIn while making meaningful connections along the way.

For more information on construction business 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’s Top Home Builders – February 2023

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A list of Florida’s leading home builders based on permit data on record with HBW for the month of February

If you follow the HBW blog, then you know that we recently reported that there were 5,685 new residential construction permits with a total construction value of nearly $1.85 billion added to the HBW database for Florida last month. The figures were derived from HBW’s latest construction data reports covering new home construction and permitting activity across the Sunshine State.

Today, we will be using the same reports to review and identify the leading residential construction contractors that are behind the permit data in each of the five major regions of Florida (Southeast, Southwest, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville). Statewide, two home builders have continued to have a strong presence in the market. Holding more than 25 percent of all new residential construction permits for the month, both Lennar Homes (827 permits) and D.R. Horton (603 permits) are major powerhouses that are positioned on the leaderboard in every region reviewed.

Here is a closer look at the top five home builders driving new residential construction in each Florida region during the month of February:

Tampa:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Lennar Homes304
2-The Villages Land Company140
3-D.R. Horton117
4-Highland Homes84
5-Casa Fresca Homes66

Southwest:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-Lennar Homes224
2-D.R. Horton135
3-Pulte Homes124
4-Taylor Morrison55
5-Neal Communities of SW FL54

Orlando:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-D.R. Horton157
2-Lennar Homes144
3-M/I Homes111
4-Dream Finders Homes83
5-Minto Communities63

Jacksonville:

BuilderTotal Permits
1-D.R. Horton154
2-Lennar Homes70
3-Dream Finders Construction67
4-Pulte Homes52
5-AMH Development44

Southeast

BuilderTotal Permits
1-GL Building Corporation113
2-Lennar Homes85
3-D.R. Horton40
4-Holiday Builders33
5-Toll Brothers23

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.