Clark County home building activity rises for sixth consecutive month

Clark County home building activity in April continued to show signs of rebounding for the sixth month in a row, according to figures released Thursday. Countywide, April showed a 64.9 percent increase in new-home construction, with 61 permits issued to build single-family homes, compared with 37 permits in April 2009. A total value of $16.7 million was placed on April home-building, tracked each month by the Clark County Community Development Department. The total was a 116 percent increase over the $7.7 million in permit values issued by the county in April last year. Builders point to a federal tax credit for fueling the steady increase in new-home starts each month since November. And some are concerned the the market’s momentum could ebb now that the credit – a write-off of $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and $6,500 for homebuyers who traded up from their primary residence of five years — has expired.