LYON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – In Lyon Township, the number of building permits continues to rise.
Last year 61 new home permits were issued and 206 new homes were built. This year, so far, 91 permit applications have been made, according to township Supervisor Lannie Young. It could be the best year ever for the township.
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Young says it is because of the location of the township, with new home subdivisions next to open fields but still in Metro Detroit.
"We're less than an hour from Lansing and we're 20-30 minutes from Ann Arbor," said Young.
Many factors are leading to the boom. Builder Jack Healy said he built six new homes in all of 2009. He sold 11 in just one week this year.
"They realized that the market's turned ... and if they don't buy something now, they're going to miss out," said Healy.
Twelve subdivisions where work had frozen now have new homes under construction.
The buyers include corporate transfers and people who were waiting for the market to turn around, which had been at its worst since the Great Depression.
The township building department works with builders to approve permits and plans to keep the trend going.
"Time is money," said Michelle Aniol, DDA administrator.
Vacant lots in subdivisions which were unfinished went back to banks who now are selling them cheap. Plus, interest rates remain low and that helps home buyers.