Johnston County issued more than double the number of housing permits in 2019 compared to just 5 years ago. The trend is expected to continue in 2020.
According to data from the Johnston County Inspections and Planning Departments, 1910 permits were issued in 2019 for new single family homes. That’s more than double the number of 926 permits issued in all of 2014. Home construction permits were also up 6.4 percent since 2018.
Johnston County Single Family Home Permits
Year Permits
2019 1910
2018 1794
2017 1569
2016 1395
2015 926
“There are several contributing factors to the 6.4 percent increase in new home construction permits,” Chief Building Inspector Shane Hudson with the Johnston County Inspections Department said. “While interest rates continued to climb for most of 2018, in 2019 interest rates did decrease. In 2018, several builders were forced to wait for availability of lots, which in turn slowed the building process down. In 2019, the increase in development and lot availability as well as tract builders being able to buy entire subdivisions is another reason for the increase. Johnston County has continuously been more affordable than most neighboring counties. With the increase in jobs and our growing industry, Johnston County continues to be appealing.”
“I predict we will have a very strong start to the 2020 year in residential, however I do think there will be a slow down around the fall of the year,” Mr. Hudson said. “I mainly feel this way because it is an election year. My prediction as far as commercial is that there will be an increase this year from 2019.”
In addition, 157 permits were issued for singlewide and doublewide homes in 2019, down from 189 in 2018.
While new home construction is booming, the number of lots approved were down by more than 38 percent from a year earlier. In 2019, the planning department approved 1,749 lots, a decrease from 2,427 approved in 2018. The number of subdivisions was down nearly half. Planning Director Braston Newton said, “Most likely the new home permits increase is capturing some lots approved in prior years and just now recording.”
In 2019, 129 subdivisions were approved. That is down from 253 subdivisions approved in 2018.
As of December 31, 2019, there were 11,473 lots approved for construction but no homes had been built on those parcels. 2020 could set a new record. Last month, 279 lots were approved, up from 179 in January 2019.
