KC New Home Construction Continues Improvement
February 2013 marks the fourteenth month of continued improvement for the Greater Kansas City housing economy, according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s (HBA) monthly Residential Building Permit Statistics report. And February, like January, shows again that single family housing starts were their strongest in four years with 224. Not since February 2008 when 262 permits were issued has the area seen this much single family activity in the second month of the year.
“Builders are encouraged that they saw early buyers last month, but are concerned about the possibility of rising building material costs, labor availability, increasing lot costs and continuing tax uncertainties,” said Executive Vice President Sara Corless. “In spite of this, the February numbers further support a big Spring Parade of Homes and that keeps the industry optimistic about growth.”
Overall most counties increased their permit numbers over last year with only slight decreases in Clay and Platte Counties. Year to date Johnson County led the area with 221 single family units followed by Jackson County with 75, Clay County with 70, Platte County with 48, and Wyandotte with 38.
Kansas City remains the top permitting jurisdiction with 90 units in 2013 followed by Overland Park at 66, Olathe at 62 and Kansas City, Kansas/Wyandotte County with 36. Lenexa reported an 81 unit multi-family project. Year to date the metro area has 578 total units versus 402 for the same period in 2012 for a 44 percent increase.