Wasatch Front Home Building Activity Up Dramatically in 1Q

After one of the most dismal home building years on record, residential construction activity along the Wasatch Front is up dramatically so far in 2010.

Builders in Utah's most populous area took out permits for 1,356 single-family homes in the first quarter, more than double the 569 homes in same period of 2009, according to Construction Montor, which tracks building activity throughout the West. Although residential building activity from roughly Ogden to Provo is up, it's still well below levels of the record year of 2006, when builders took out 3,786 permits in the first three months.

A great deal of the increase this year can be attributed to the federal income tax credit of as much as $8,000, which required buyers to go under contract by April 30, said Jason Eldredge, vice president of land acquisition for Fort Worth-based DR Horton in Utah and Idaho.

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