Some West Michigan builders mark an increase in demand for new construction homes

A report from WOOD-TV8 says that although housing starts are down nationwide, some West Michigan builders have seen double-digit growth in demand.

According to excerpts from the story:

Last week, the U.S. Commerce department reported a 17% drop in new home sales nationwide, but some West Michigan builders said that's not the case for several local communities. Total housing permits for the Grand Rapids market are up 16% from one year ago; which may be surprising, considering the inventory of existing homes. One builder said the boom is happening in a very narrow segment of the market -- communities where buyers are not finding what they want in the $300,000 to $500,000 range. "They're finding the homes, but needing a lot of work," said Matt McCollum, a builder for Forest Hills Homes. "And I think these people don't want to spend ($30,000) to $50,000 to update the kitchen and flooring, so they are considering building."

Read the complete story here.