New Construction Builds Momentum

In 2002 there were 20 single-family new home construction building permits in Arlington, MA. In 2010, there was one.
 
Bids for new construction in Arlington have been on the decline for a number of years. This is due in part to the real estate market which has been a ‘bear’ but also because of limited undeveloped land.

On a national level, the 2012 forecast for new construction will be below-normal but trending up – and there are some bright spots popping up. A Construction Industry Forecast 2012 on About.com ranks the Boston area in the top five construction markets:

Boston - One of the best housing markets during 2012…Housing prices will increase again after suffering only modest declines in the downturn.

According to the Professional Builder’s 2012 Market Outlook Survey, builders are optimistic about growth in 2012, with remodeling activities as the largest growth opportunity (36.8 percent), followed by building energy-efficient homes (33.3 percent), diversifying their service offering (29.9 percent), focusing on upscale clientele (27.0 percent), and light-commercial work (25.3 percent).

So fear not, those of you who dream of sleek counter tops and stunning bathrooms untouched by previous owners. There are a number of new construction and renovated homes in and around Arlington queued up for the coming weeks and months. We’ll keep you updated on these and other upcoming 'developments.’