Permits almost at a stop for 2009

Could it be? Are the transplants finally not coming here anymore?

I guess we can only hope, look at the ther numbers from this decade!

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbc...9/NEWS/1190318

Quote:

By David Pierce
Pocono Record Writer
January 19, 2010
What a difference the recession makes: Monroe County new home construction permits fell by about half, to 230 last year.

The 2009 total was a decline from the 451 single-family home permits issued in 2008, which was down from 855 permits granted in 2007, according to the Monroe County Planning Department.

COMMERCIAL GROWTH CONTINUES
Monroe County commercial growth continues even as new home construction slows to a crawl.

The Monroe County Planning Board reviewed 41 land development or site plans last year referred to it by municipalities.

"Virtually all of those were non-residential," said Monroe County Planning Director John Woodling. "It may have been something that was in process for some time."

Many commercial projects being built now were on the drawing board before the recession hit.

Woodling pointed to the recent opening of the Giant Supermarket and plaza off Route 611 and Interstate 80 in Bartonsville. "That may have been in the works for three years, maybe four," he said.

— David Pierce
Coolbaugh, Middle Smithfield and Stroud townships — which ranked first through third among Monroe municipalities for total home construction this past decade — each had years in which they exceeded, individually, the 230 permits issued countywide last year.

Last year's home construction activity was about 14 percent of the peak 1,644 new home permits issued in 2004.

As a result of the slowdown, some builders who worked full time on new homes have begun taking jobs remodeling existing structures, said Pocono Builders Association President Pete Gallagher, general manager of Liberty Homes.

Some independent construction contractors — paid by the job by builders and developers — have no work. Because independent contractors are self-employed, they don't show up in unemployment statistics. Some are seeking ski jobs this winter to tide them over, Gallagher said.

"You've got to feel sorry for the framers," Gallagher said. "What you've got is the people pounding the nails and they've just got nowhere to cut."

Permits for 1,871 new homes were issued in Coolbaugh Township for the decade, but just 41 permits were issued in 2009. Middle Smithfield Township issued 44 permits last year — the most of any municipality — compared to 1,658 permits for the decade. Stroud Township approved 1,465 permits for the decade, but issued just 18 last year.

Not all is gloom, Gallagher says.

"We are seeing interest in the spring," he said. "People are thinking the market is as low as it's going to go. They want to go in before it goes back up."

One thing that might delay a recovery, said Gallagher, is lack of lending. Though mortgages for pre-existing homes are available for 3.5 percent to 10 percent down, most home construction loans require the buyer to pay 20 percent up front.

"The biggest problem we're seeing is the lack of financing," Gallagher said. "We're optimistic that our heads are staying above water."

Said Monroe County Planning Director John Woodling: "I agree there is going to be a recovery but it's going to take some time. It took a while to get into this situation."

Gallagher remembers downturns in the late '80s and late '90s, and expects local home construction to pick up again.

"We will still have some robust years coming, but it will be different," he said.

Monroe County single-family home construction, 2000-09:

Coolbaugh: 1,871

Middle Smithfield: 1,658

Stroud: 1,465

Tobyhanna: 1,252

Chestnuthill: 988

Tunkhannock: 845

Pocono: 648

Jackson: 570

Polk: 485

Smithfield: 480

Hamilton: 401

Price: 389

Ross: 357

Paradise: 245

Barrett: 214

Eldred: 149

Mount Pocono: 101

East Stroudsburg: 89

Stroudsburg: 35

Delaware Water Gap: 16

thats almost 12500 NEW homes built since 2000