5400 New Tampa Bay Homes ( Good News and Bad News )

New home sales are expected to reach 5400 units in 2013, +31% over last year. That's the good news. The bad news is the market is only at about 40% of what it was selling in good years...9000+ units.  In 2005, during the crazy times, builders closed on over 25,000 units. Pinellas County has issued 399 new home permits this year, double last year's total. Lennar leads all builders with 485 closings so far this year in the Tampa Bay area. In Florida, there were 356,000 construction workers, down by 50% over the boom times. Skilled trades are critical to a growing housing market.