The housing market slowed here a bit last month - again.

There were 12 new home starts in September, down from 17 the same month a year ago, according to the monthly Home Builders Association of Cherokee County report.

New home starts were also dipped in August.

That followed several months of rising home starts. In May, there were 21 new home starts - the most since September 2003. Housing starts also rose in June and July from the same month a year ago.

There was some good news in the September report. The value of the new homes increased in September to $115,870. That's up about $9,000 from the value of new homes built in June 2005.

The city had no new home starts last month.