Single Family Housing Finishes 2013 with 24 Percent Gain Over 2012
Single family housing experienced continued growth in 2013 over 2012 and reached the highest number since 2007 according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s (HBA) monthly Residential Building Permit Statistics report. The year ended up 24 percent over last year with 4,087 permits compared to 3,299 in 2012. Including multi-family units, the total for 2013 was 6,966 compared to 5,074 in 2012 for a 37 percent increase.
“We crossed the threshold of building 4,000 homes last year and that’s cause for the local economy to celebrate,” said HBA Executive Vice President Sara Corless. “As we look to 2014 buyers will be pleased they have greater choice from a more balanced new home inventory. Builders will be watching pending contract and sales activity going into the spring for clues about what this year will bring.”
Overland Park led the metropolitan area with a total of with 1,562 total units which included 422 single family units and 1,140 multi-family. Kansas City, Missouri followed with 1,502 residential units in its three-county reach. Of those, 675 were single family units and 827 were multi-family. Next was Olathe with 560 total units with 528 single family and 32 multi-family.
The single family growth among the larger counties was led by Johnson County with a 32 percent increase over last year followed by Jackson County with a 26 percent increase, Wyandotte County with a 17 percent increase and Platte County with a 12 percent increase. The smaller counties of Leavenworth and Cass also had significant growth and Clay County remained relatively unchanged.