New home starts down, but permit activity up

November came and went on a down note for Cherokee County builders.

The number of new home starts, the average value of new homes, and the overall value of buildings permits were all down last month compared to the same time last year.

According to the monthly figures compiled by the Homebuilders Association of Cherokee County, there were just five new home starts in Cherokee County last month, compared to seven in November 2007, while the average price of those new home starts dropped from $115,020 to $96,680.

New home starts in the City of Gaffney, meanwhile, stayed on a historical course as there were no new home starts in the city limits in either November 2007 or 2008.

Looking at building permit data, the Homebuilders Association reported building permits showed $154,885 worth of construction activity in the city in November, down $470,000 from the same month last year.

In the county, however, building permit activity climbed year over year, as building permits valued construction work at $658,869 in November compared to $435,827 during the same month last year.

The largest commercial permit issued in the city last month was for $30,000 in recently-approved renovations at the Cherokee County Combined Animal Shelter, a government-owned facility. The largest commercial permit issued in the county, meanwhile, was for $53,000 of construction work at the Mt. Whitaker Baptist Church.