HBWeekly

Texas Top Home Builders – May 2019

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A review of the HBW database, the latest construction permit data and leading builders in the Lone Star State during the month of May 2019

Based on the latest review of the HBW database and new residential construction permit data from Texas, there was an excess of 5,800 housing starts with a total construction value of approximately $1.4 billion last month. Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio), Houston held the greatest amount of new residential construction permits (2,343 permits), while the highest average value of new construction took place in Dallas (average value: $287,670).

Here is a look at the latest residential construction activity and leading builders by area for the month of May in Texas:

Houston

Last month, the greatest volume of new residential construction could be found in the Houston area where there were 2,343 housing starts holding a total construction value of nearly $483 million. The average value of construction was $206,084, and more than half of all new construction took place in Harris County (1,254 permits).

Out of the more than 305 active builders on file last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits	Total Value
1 – K Hovnanian Homes	200	$ 27,878,853.00
2 – Lennar Homes	182	$ 31,263,574.00
3 – Taylor Morrison Homes	134	$ 23,224,531.00
4 – Perry Homes	126	$ 30,185,790.00
5 – KB Homes	100	$ 17,303,800.00

Dallas

Dallas ranked #2 for new residential construction having nearly 1,810 new permits with a total construction value of approximately $520 million on file last month. As previously mentioned, the average value of construction was highest in Dallas at $287,670, and the counties with the greatest concentration of housing starts included Dallas County (425 permits) and Tarrant County (493 permits).

Out of the 250 active home builders in the Dallas area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file with HBW:

Builder	Total Permits	Total Value
1 – D.R. Horton	254	$ 54,762,521.00
2 – Lennar Homes	149	$ 34,151,048.00
3 – Pulte Homes	90	$ 20,142,040.00
4 – Highland Homes	81	$ 27,690,069.00
5 – Bloomfield Homes	67	$ 20,275,723.00

Austin

Last month, there were nearly 1,235 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $310 million in Austin. The average value of construction was on the higher end of the spectrum coming in at $251,243, and the bulk of all new construction activity originated from Travis County (822 permits).

Out of the more than 120 active home builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits		Total Value
1 – D.R. Horton		111	$ 21,946,815.00
2 – Lennar Homes		98	$ 20,435,353.00
3 – Pulte Homes		85	$ 23,590,050.00
4 – Urbana Homes		67	$ 7,250,293.00
5 – Gehan Homes		58	$ 18,789,385.00

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were approximately 425 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $88 million during the month of May. The average value of construction was on the lower end of the spectrum (average value: $207,203), and more than half of all new permits originated from Bexar County (291 permits).

Out of the more than 80 active home builders in the area, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits last month:

Builder	Total Permits	Total Value
1 – Continental Homes of Texas	52	$ 13,042,485.00
2 – Lennar Homes	52	$ 7,027,330.00
3 – Fieldstone Communities SA	52	$ 5,279,890.00
4 – KB Homes	45	$ 9,154,615.00
5 – Bella Vista CMI	31	$ 8,546,162.00

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.

Keeping Employees Engaged in a Tight Labor Market

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Erika Carruth

In a tight labor market, construction business owners are looking for more ways to keep employees engaged.

It is no secret that skilled laborers and experienced construction professionals are hard to find. Candidate searching can be competitive to say the least, and it is not uncommon to face high turnover which can be both time consuming and costly. According to an article posted by Forbes last year, the cost of employee turnover can be much higher than most business owners expect: “Off-the-shelf estimates are available, which might set the cost of an entry-level position turning over at 50 percent of salary; mid-level at 125 percent of salary; and senior executive over 200 percent of salary.”

While actual costs of employee turnover are specific to each business, it is important to know that the impact is real and ultimately affects the bottom line. For this reason, here are a few ways to keep your current employees engaged, and perhaps open the door to attracting new talent:

Invite Feedback – Nobody likes negative criticism, but constructive criticism and feedback are essential for a growing business, especially from employees. Employees are the heart of every business, and it is important to create a company culture where team members feel safe (and welcome) to provide feedback about working conditions, new programs, peer performance, etc. Get in a regular habit of asking your employees for feedback, what’s working and what’s not. If you want to keep employees engaged, you must keep your finger on the pulse and communication open.
Set Goals – Without direction, short and long-term goals, your team is just moving, not progressing. It is important that every department and individual have clear and defined goals. A company and crews cannot possibly pursue excellence without a clear idea of what they are seeking to achieve. By setting well-defined workforce goals, you will establish the foundation for organizational success. While goals should engage, motivate and even inspire employees, they should be realistic and attainable and help every employee reach his/her own personal potential. Individual goals should align directly with the overall company goals so that all team members are working to achieve the broader goals of the company. When employees reach milestones, they should be recognized, and everyone should have an understanding for how their personal successes contribute to the overall success of the company. This can be done through recognition at team meetings, reward programs, bonuses and awards.
Let Them Grow – Beyond a career, many employees are seeking new opportunity. Such opportunity can come in the form of new responsibility, education, or promises of a higher position or department. Don’t shy away from exposing employees to new responsibilities and educational opportunities. By empowering your employees, you will empower your business.

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.

Ways to Improve Safety Manuals

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Erika Carruth

If you are in construction, then you know the importance of safety on the job site. In order to ensure that all team members are prepared and following safety guidelines, training and safety policies and procedures must be easily accessible, easy to understand and updated with the latest standards and information.

When looking at your own safety policies for your crews, do you find that they easy to understand? Consider this: According to a report from the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), more than 30 percent of construction worker training materials are written above an eighth-grade reading levels, which is above the recommended ceiling suggested by communication experts.

The report was based on 103 safety training handouts, brochures and safety data sheets, and researchers identified several materials containing language that was either too technical or simply unfamiliar to most readers. So, how does a construction business owner ensure that their safety materials are suitable and properly written at a level that can be understood by their crew members? Researchers from the CPWR report recommend that authors of such materials include the following:

Focus – The materials should be written to focus on a single, main message. With too much text, the primary message can get lost in the shuffle.
Call to Action – The written materials should use just one “call to action” for workers.
Provide a Summary – The report suggests that the main message be summarized at the start of the document and should use “clear and informative subheadings and bold print to reinforce key points.”
Break it Down – Ultimately, recommended actions should do more than just state preventative and/or corrective actions. Rather, recommended actions should include a clear break down, step-by-step, of instructions for recommended behaviors.

The study by CPWR was published online last year in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. In the post, they concluded that safety and health professionals preparing curricula and handouts for distribution to workers should incorporate some form of readability and suitability assessment to help ensure that written materials are clear and comprehensible to all segments of their audience.

Safety training and materials are only effective when understood and applied. By making sure your safety training, policies and procedures are clear and written at an appropriate reading level, you will have more informed and safer crews on the job.

To receive the latest updates on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To gain access to the latest reports on construction permit data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW.

Florida’s Hot Spots for New Home Construction – April 2019

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Erika Carruth

A review of the top locations for new residential construction in Florida during the month of April 2019 and based on the latest permit data from the HBW database

Every month, HBW reviews the latest and greatest of new permits in Florida that flood the HBW database, from as far north as Jacksonville to as far south as Homestead, and when it comes to new home construction, Tampa, Jacksonville and the Southwest were on top for new permits.

Last month, there were approximately 6,270 housing starts in Florida, and just about 70 percent of all new construction originated from Tampa, Jacksonville and the southwestern region of the state. The highest concentration of new permits could be found in Tampa where there were 1,910 new residential construction permits with an average construction value of $279,152.

Here is closer look at the construction data for the areas with the highest amount of new residential construction permits during the month of April 2019:

Tampa

As previously mentioned, Tampa held the highest levels of new home construction last month, resulting in 1,910 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $533 million added to the HBW database.

Out of the more than 230 active builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	287
Lennar Homes	188
The Villages of Lake Sumter	146

Southwest Florida

The southwest region of Florida held the second-highest levels of new home construction last month, resulting in 1,344 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $354 million added to the HBW database. The average construction value of new homes in the area was $263,301, and out of the 290 active home builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
Lennar Homes	280
Pulte Homes	176
D.R. Horton	65

Jacksonville

Last month, there were approximately 1,110 housing starts in the Jacksonville area and a total construction value of nearly $253 million. The average value of new construction was lower in Jacksonville in comparison to other regions reviewed coming in at $228,027 for the month.

Out of the more than 155 active home builders on file for the one-month period, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	151
Lennar Homes	107
Dream Finders Home	97

Florida Swimming Pool Permit Report – April 2019

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW Report and review of the latest swimming pool construction permit data on record for the month of April 2019

During the month of April 2019, there were nearly 2,100 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value in excess of $93 million added to the HBW database for Florida. Out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), Southwest Florida held the highest concentration of new pool construction, while Jacksonville held the highest average value of new construction (average value: ~$49k).

Here is a closer look at new swimming pool construction stats by area for the month of April 2019:

Southwest Florida

Last month, there were nearly 640 new swimming pool permits with a total value in excess of $29 million in the southwest region of Florida. The average value of new pool construction was $45,629, and the majority of all new permits originated from the counties of Sarasota (164 permits) and Lee (189 permits).

Out of the 135 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Coast to Coast Pools

#2 – Aragon Pools & Spas

#3 – Holiday Pools of West FL

Southeast Florida

The southeastern region of Florida ranked #2 for new swimming pool construction, having approximately 450 pool starts with a total value of $17.9 million on record for the month. The average value of new construction was lowest in the southeast (average value: $39,787) in comparison to other regions reviewed, and the county with the highest concentration of new permits was Palm Beach (206 permits).

Out of the approximately 150 active pool builders with permits on file with HBW, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Swimming Pool Contractors

#2 – A&G Concrete Pools

#3 – Treasure Pools & Service

Tampa

Tampa was similar to the southwest in volume of new pool construction last month, having more than 445 pool starts with a total construction value of $20.5 million. More than half of all new construction took place Hillsborough County (142 permits) and Pasco County (98 permits), and the average value of construction was $45,855 for the one-month period.

Out of the more than 120 active pool builders with permits on file last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Olympus Pools

#2 – Natural Springs Pools

#3 – Challenger Pools

Orlando

In Orlando, there were approximately 295 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of $13.7 million during the month of April. The average value of new construction was $46,495, and the county with the greatest concentration of new permits for the one-month period was Orange County (125 permits).

Out of the more than 90 active pool builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Bob’s Pool Service

#2 – Artesian Pools

#3 – Martin Pools

Jacksonville

Last month, there were more than 250 pool starts with a total construction value of nearly $12.4 million in the Jacksonville area. The average value of new construction was highest in Jacksonville in comparison to other areas reviewed (average value: $48,849), and more than half of all new permits originated from the counties of St. Johns (85 permits) and Duval (77permits).

Out of the nearly 100 active pool builders with permits on file, the following rank as the top three for total new permits for the month:

#1 – Island Pools

#2 – Stanley Pools

#3 – Blue Haven Pools

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Report – April 2019

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW overview of the latest construction data reports for new swimming pool construction in Texas during the month of April 2019

Last month, there were more than 830 new swimming pool permits added to the HBW database for the State of Texas. Out of the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), Dallas (432 permits) held approximately half of all new swimming pool permits, while Houston held the highest average value of new pool construction (average value: ~$58k).

Here is a closer look at new pool construction activity by area for the month of April 2019:

Dallas

As previously mentioned, the Dallas area had the highest level of new pool construction in comparison to the other metro areas reviewed. Last month, there were 432 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $22.2 million. The average value of new pool construction was $51,561, and more than half of all new permits originated from the counties of Dallas (125 permits) and Tarrant (115 permits).

Out of the nearly 200 active pool builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top three for total new swimming pool construction permits:

#1 – Claffey Pools

#2 – Riverbend Pools

#3 – Pulliam Pools

Houston

The Houston area ranked #2 for new swimming pool construction, having 232 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $15 million on record last month. The average value of new construction was highest in Houston in comparison to other major metro areas reviewed (average value: $57,957), and the county with the highest concentration of new permits on file for the month was Harris County (159 permits).

Out of the more than 135 active pool builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits on file with HBW:

#1 – Platinum Pools

#2 – C3 Building Solutions

#3 – Anthony & Sylvan Pools

Austin

In Austin, there were nearly 100 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value in excess of $5 million added to the HBW database last month. The average value of new construction was $52,786, and the majority of new permits originated from Travis County (68 permits).

Out of the 45 active swimming pool builders on file last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Cody Pools

#2 – Texas Pools & Patios

#3 – Majestic Poolscape

San Antonio

Last month, there were nearly 70 swimming pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $3.5 million listed for the San Antonio area. The average value of new construction was lowest in San Antonio in comparison to other areas reviewed (average value: $51,554), and nearly all new construction activity took place in Bexar County (57 permits).

Out of the approximately 25 pool builders on record last month, the following ranked as the top three for total new permits:

#1 – Keith Zars Pools

#2 – Cody Pools

#3 – Texas Pools & Patios

Texas Top Home Builders – April 2019

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW Report on new residential construction permits and leading home builders in Texas for the month of April 2019

Last month, there were more than 7,600 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $1.8 billion in the Lone Star State. For the purpose of the HBW monthly report, four major metro areas were reviewed: Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio. Out of the hundreds of active home builders on file with HBW for the month of April, D.R. Horton continued to rank as the #1 home builder for total new residential construction permits on file (~770 permits), leading three out of the four Texas metro areas reviewed.

Here is a closer look at the new construction activity and leading home builders by area:

Houston

Houston ranked #1 for total new permits on file with HBW, as there were approximately 3,315 new permits with a total construction value of $660 million. The average value of new construction was lowest in Houston, coming in at $199k for the one-month period.

Out of the more than 410 active home builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file with HBW:

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	274
Camillo Properties	226
Lennar Homes	216
K Hovnanian Homes	198
Legend Homes	149

Dallas

The Dallas area ranked second for total housing starts while holding the highest average value of new construction. Last month, there were 2,500 new permits with a total construction value in excess of $745.5 million added to the HBW database for Dallas, and the average value of new construction was on the higher end of the spectrum at approximately $298k.

Out of the more than 370 active home builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	347
Lennar Homes	208
Pulte Homes	120
First Texas Homes	95
Beazer Homes	83

Austin

In Austin, there were 1,240 housing starts with a total construction value of approximately $319 million last month. The average value of construction fell in the mid to high range at just over $257k.

Out of the 125 active builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits on file with HBW:

Builder	Total Permits
D.R. Horton	147
Pulte Homes	130
KB Homes	66
Taylor Morrison Homes	64
Pacesetter Homes	47

San Antonio

Last month, there were approximately 565 housing starts with a total construction value of $128.7 million in the San Antonio area. The average value of new home construction (average value: $228k) was positioned in the low to mid-range in comparison to the other metro areas reviewed.

Out of the nearly 100 active home builders in the area last month, the following ranked as the top five for total new residential construction permits on file:

Builder	Total Permits
Continental Homes of Texas	72
Lennar Homes	64
KB Homes	54
Bella Vista CMI	39
Pulte Homes	32

Florida Swimming Pool Construction Quarterly Report: Q1-2019

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW review of new swimming pool construction permits in Florida during the first quarter of 2019

Over the last five years, Florida has exhibited year-over-year increases in new swimming pool construction every year. Since the start of this year (through March 2019), new swimming pool construction permits are already ahead of last year by 9 percent. Out of the six major Florida regions reviewed (Central, West, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest), the greatest concentration of new permits could be found in the southwestern region (>1,350 permits), and the area that exhibited the highest rate of annual growth was West Florida (+21 percent).

Here is a brief overview of new permit data on file with HBW for the first quarter of this year:

Southwest Florida

Looking as far back as 2014, there has been a marked pattern of growth in new swimming pool construction in the southwest portion of the Sunshine State. In the first quarter of this year, there have been approximately 1,355 new swimming pool permits added to the HBW database for the area, reflecting more than a 10 percent increase in comparison to the same time last year. Southwest counties with the highest concentration of pool starts on file include Lee County (434 permits, -2 percent) and Collier County (396 permits, +62 percent).

West Florida

The western region of Florida ranked #2 for total new swimming pool permits on file with HBW in the first quarter of this year. With a 21% year-over-year increase (highest rate of growth in comparison to other regions), West Florida had just over 1,185 swimming pool permits on record for the first three months of this year. More than half of all new construction took place in two major counties: Hillsborough County (404 permits, +12 percent); Polk County (225 permits, +60%).

Southeast Florida

During Q1-2019, Southeast Florida experienced an 8 percent year-over-year increase in new pool construction, resulting in 1,085 swimming pool construction permits on file with HBW. More than half of all new construction permits originated from Palm Beach and Miami-Dade. With a 3 percent year-over-year increase in pool starts, Palm Beach County held the highest concentration of new pool permits (395 permits), and Miami-Dade ranked a distant second with more than 230 new permits on record for the three-month period.

Central Florida

While Central Florida experienced an annual dip of 11 percent in swimming pool construction last year, things are looking a little more optimistic at the start of 2019. In the first quarter of this year, the area reflects a 2 percent increase in new pool construction in comparison to the same time last year, resulting in just over 970 new permits. More than half of all new construction took place in the counties of Orange (313 permits, +10 percent) and Osceola (270 permits, +4 percent).

Northeast Florida

In the northeastern region of Florida, there were 580 swimming pool starts during Q1-2019, reflective of a 3 percent increase in comparison to the same period last year. The counties with the highest concentration of new swimming pool construction permits on file include: St. Johns (193 permits, -1 percent); Duval (137 permits, -8 percent); Flagler (103 permits, +27 percent).

Northwest Florida

While the northwest region carried the least amount of new swimming pool permits, it is still ahead of last year by more than 4%. From January through March of this year, there were nearly 520 swimming pool starts on file for the area. The counties with the highest concentration of new construction activity include Santa Rosa (108 permits, +10 percent) and Walton (99 permits, +11 percent).

Florida’s Top Swimming Pool Builders – March 2019

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW report on new swimming pool construction permits and leading builders in Florida for the month of March 2019.

During the month of March, there were approximately 1,575 new swimming pool permits added to the HBW database for Florida. Out of the five major regions reviewed (Southwest, Southeast, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville), the southwest held the greatest amount of new construction activity (422 permits), while Tampa had the highest average value of new swimming pool construction (average value: $51,189).

When determining leading pool builders throughout the state, HBW reviews the total number of new construction permits added to the HBW database for a given region during the one-month period. Here is a breakdown of new swimming pool construction activity and the leading pool builders by area in Florida during March 2019:

Southwest Florida

As previously mentioned, Southwest Florida held the greatest amount of new construction activity in March, having more than 420 new pool permits with a total construction value of $19.5 million. The average value of new pool construction was $46,136, and more than half of all permits originated from Lee County (138 permits) and Collier County (113 permits).

Out of the nearly 115 active pool builders in the area, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

#1 – Aragon Pools & Spas

#2 – Pinnacle USA

#3 – Coast to Coast Pools

#4 – Waterscapes Pools & Spas

#5 – Aquadoc

Tampa

With more than 350 pool starts and a total construction value in excess of $18 million, Tampa ranked #2 for total new swimming pool permits in March. The average value of construction was on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $51,189) in comparison to other areas reviewed, and the county with greatest concentration of new permits was Hillsborough County (112 permits).

Out of the approximately 115 active pool builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

#1 – Olympus Pools

#2 – Gulfstream Pools & Spas

#3 – Challenger Pools

#4 – Tampa Bay Pools

#5 – Griffin Pools

Southeast Florida

In the southeastern region, there were nearly 350 pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $14 million added to the HBW database during the month of March. The average value of new construction was $40,575, and the county with the highest concentration of swimming pool construction activity was Palm Beach (130 permits).

Out of the more than 115 pool builders in the area, the following rank as the top five for total new permits:

#1 – Swimming Pool Contractors

#2 – A & G Concrete Pools

#3 – Van Kirk & Sons

#4 – Treasure Pools & Service

#5 – Louden Bonded Pools

Orlando

In Orlando, there were approximately 290 new swimming pool permits with a total construction value of nearly $12 million on file for March. The average value of new construction was $41,323, and the county with the highest concentration of new permits was Orange County (109 permits).

Out of the more than 80 active builders on record for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

#1 – Bob’s Pool Service

#2 – All Seasons

#3 – Intercoastal Pool & Spa Builders

#4 – Dreamscapes Pools & Spas

#5 – Atlas Pools of Central Florida

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were nearly 165 swimming pool starts with a total construction value of approximately $8.3 million on record in March. The average value of new pool construction was $51,025, and the bulk of new construction activity took place in Duval County (52 permits) and St. Johns County (48 permits).

Out of the 70 active pool builders on file for the month, the following ranked as the top five for total new permits:

#1 – Waterside Pools

#2 – Pools by John Clarkson

#3 – All Seasons

#4 – Blue Haven Pools

#5 – Breakwater Construction Group

HBW Quarterly Report: Florida Residential Construction Q1-2019

Posted on May 4, 2019 by Erika Carruth

An HBW review of new residential construction permit data added to the HBW database during the first quarter of 2019

Since the start of this year, new residential construction has been on the rise in the Sunshine State. Throughout Florida, housing starts have experienced a year-over-year increase of nearly 10.5 percent in the first quarter, resulting in approximately 19,570 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database. Out of the six major regions reviewed (Central, West, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest), the highest concentration of new home construction could be found in West Florida where there were more than 4,405 new permits for the three-month period, and the greatest rate of growth in comparison to the first quarter of 2018 took place in Southeast Florida where new home construction is up by 27 percent.

Here is closer look at housing starts and leading areas in Florida from January to March 2019:

West Florida

As previously mentioned, West Florida ranked #1 for total new residential construction permits. Last month, there were more than 4,405 new permits added to the HBW database, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 23 percent in housing starts for the first quarter. The counties that have higher concentrations of housing starts and experienced growth in comparison to the first quarter of last year include: Hillsborough County (1,252 permits, +9 percent); Polk County (1,115 permits, +26 percent); Pasco County (981 permits, +40 percent).

Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida ranked #2 for total permits – During Q1-2019, there was a 23 percent increase in residential construction in comparison to the same time last year, resulting in more than 3,710 housing starts. All counties are currently ahead of last year’s figures when it comes to new permits on file with HBW, and the county with the highest concentration of housing starts was Lee (1,089 permits, +3 percent).

Central Florida

So far this year, new construction in Central Florida has not shown any major changes and is quite steady in comparison to 2018. In the first quarter of this year, the area has experienced a 1% year-over-year increase in housing starts, resulting in 3,307 new residential construction permits. More than 40 percent of all new construction took place in Orange County (1,352 permits), and the greatest rate of growth could be found in Lake County where starts were up 57 percent in comparison to last year.

Northeast Florida

New construction in the northeastern region of Florida is up by 4 percent in comparison to last year, resulting in 3,175 housing starts on file for Q1-2019. More than half of all new construction took place in the following counties: St. Johns County (1,085 permits, +11 percent); Duval County (825 permits, +2 percent).

Southeast Florida

While there are fewer total housing starts (2,703 permits) in the southeast in comparison to other Florida regions, the area’s residential construction is ahead of last year’s figures by nearly 27 percent. The counties that are experiencing growth and holding more than half of all new residential construction permits for the three-month period include: St. Lucie County (836 permits, +48 percent); Palm Beach County (639 permits, +49%).

Northwest Florida

Of all the Florida regions reviewed, the northeastern region is the only area that has experienced a dip in new construction; in comparison to Q1-2018, housing starts are down by 15 percent, resulting in approximately 2,266 new permits on file with HBW. The counties with the highest concentration of housing starts include: Santa Rosa County (350 permits, -12 percent); Walton County (310 permits, -13%); Escambia County (309 permits, -17%).