Builder Confidence At Highest Point In Five Years

A new national survey shows confidence among U.S. homebuilders has reached a five-year high.

Josh Hansen, of Hansen Home Builders in Pocatello, is definitely one of those builders whose confidence is high.

“This year definitely. We’re as busy as it gets. We’ve got about three houses to do, so what’s that tell you?? Hansen said.

He said it’s a far cry from years when it was hard for anyone to pay for a new home.

“Every time you turn around somebody doesn’t get approved for a bank loan. Of course, that’s a lot harder and it makes it a lot harder to build a house for someone who can’t get a loan,? Hansen said.

Although building may be seeing big increases in some neighborhoods, others are only seeing marginal improvement.

Pocatello building official Lynn Transtrum took a look at the actual numbers and said new home building in the city is up 10 percent over last year.

“We are seeing a bit of an increase this year. Times have been tough, but we are seeing an increase,? Transtrum said.

But a small increase still is far from where construction once was.

Transtrum said the city saw about 300 to 350 new homes about six years ago.

“It’s dropped off. I believe last year we were clear down to only about 35 or so. So it had dropped off significantly,? Transtrum said.

But he said the local building industry is ready for a turnaround, and that should be a boost to everyone.

“The construction industry is such a spinoff industry. One house puts a number of people to work,” Transtrum said.