Butler has issued 164 permits, while Warren has released 197 as of the end of May, according to permit data. Builders typically pull a permit when they’re close to construction.
Butler County’s gain in construction of new homes from the same time last year is the highest, 16.3 percent, according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati.
The new home building information shows the dichotomy of Butler County’s economy.
Data released earlier this week showed Butler County also had Ohio’s highest foreclosure rate in May of one in every 291 homes receiving a default notice, scheduled auction or bank repossession.
Government leaders and real estate experts say Hamilton and Middletown have seen the most distressed properties in the county. Meanwhile, subdivisions in Monroe, Liberty Twp. and Trenton are where builders are building the most new homes.
The reason is both counties along Interstate 75 have a lot of available, developable spaces, said Dan Dressman, the builders association’s executive director. Leading up to the economic recession at the end of 2007 and into 2008, a majority of the region’s new home construction was happening in the two counties, Dressman said. As the housing slump ensued, that left many parcels of land ready to build but with no demand.
Even as consumer confidence slowly returns, one of the biggest issues still for developers is access to credit to start new projects.
“If lots are already on the ground, those lots are going to get picked up quicker than the others and there are more lots on the ground in Butler County probably more than anywhere,” Dressman said. “That’s where we would expect to see most of the activity.”
Homebuilder Jeff Wieland of Fairfield’s Jack H. Wieland Builders said his company already met its goal to sell 14 houses this year and could sell more. Wieland Homes builds throughout Southwest Ohio in the range of $210,000 to $800,000. Last year, Wieland sold 12 houses, though 8 years ago it sold more than 50 a year, he said.
In the next couple of weeks, construction will start on a model home at the Carriage Hill housing development in Liberty Twp. off Millikin Road. It’s the first new neighborhood for Wieland in about five years, he said.
“We’ve been pretty busy, especially in the first part of this year,” Wieland said. “We’re not sure if it’s here to stay.”
Todd Hall, owner of Todd Homes of West Chester Twp., said he thinks one of the reasons things are getting better is many buyers are surfacing with better credit quality. Homeowners also are able to buy more house for the value because of low home prices and record low interest rates, Hall said.
Todd Homes will sell 25 houses this year in the range of $130,000 to $250,000, mostly in Liberty Twp., Monroe and Trenton.
“I’ve sold to a lot of people who’ve downsized and now can afford their payments,” he said.
Of all the permits issued the first five months in the year in Butler County, Hamilton had five and Middletown had five, according to city records.
“That’s actually higher. It’s been extremely slow,” said Sandy Butt, the administrative assistant in the building inspection division of Middletown.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or clevingston@coxohio.com.
About the Author