Fargo Moorhead construction strongest in five years

MPR file photo Dan Gunderson

Building permit activity in the Fargo Moorhead area this year is the highest it's been since 2007 according to data released by the Fargo Moorhead Home Builders Association.

Total construction value for the second quarter of 2012 is more than $263 million That's up almost $100 million from a year ago. New housing starts are up 90 percent from the number during the same time in 2011.

Local officials attribute the increase to a strong economy, low interest rates and housing incentives offered by cities in the Fargo Moorhead metro area.

"After three years of flooding and a shaky national economy, it is refreshing to see the home building industry thriving again," said

Home Builders President Terry Becker.

Data from the National Association of Home Builders shows Fargo Moorhead is one of a handful of places in the upper Midwest where home values are increasing.

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