YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Residential construction is gaining momentum across the Mahoning Valley as new developments expand, builders report increased demand and the return of the Parade of Homes reflects renewed confidence in the local housing market.
The construction of housing in the Mahoning Valley is seeing an uptick, according to Trisha Howe, executive director of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of the Valley.
The group’s Parade of Homes kicked off this month at Legacy Villas and Homes in Canfield, where five custom-built, high-end houses have been constructed by local builders Russo Builders, G. Sorice Builders, SMS Custom Homes, DeLucia Builders and Custom Design Homes by Mark Ramunno.
Howe says this is the first Parade of Homes organized by the association in about 20 years, a sign that home construction is on the rise.
At the Legacy development, about 12 villas have been completed, with 40 more planned in addition to the five Parade homes. Another 12 to 18 lots remain available for future construction.
“We have a huge uptick in new construction going on right now,” Howe says. “Homes are not as large in square footage as they once were, like 20 years ago when we did the last parade, but there definitely has been a lot of activity taking place.”
In addition to housing developments in Canfield, Howe lists several others in the area with expanding housing developments.
Joe Koch Construction is building 16 homes in Austintown, according to Howe.
Jason Altobelli of Altobelli Real Estate and Rycon Builders, both of Niles, have been expanding Kline’s Farm, a residential project near state Route 193 in Vienna. Several of those homes were built earlier this year, Howe says.
She also notes soon there will be 16 lots available in the Pine Lakes Reserve area of North Lima through Amy Andrews Realtors.
“Trumbull and Mahoning County have really picked up,” Howe says. “For a long time, people were only building out in Columbiana. Now they seem to be spreading that love.”
Nationwide, the National Association of Home Builders reported in June the country remains short about 1.2 million homes and builders’ confidence in the market for newly-built homes fell in early June.
For several years, local construction of new homes has been slow to stagnant. But movement in the market and the addition of possible new jobs driven by the Kimberly-Clark project and others, is creating demand, officials have said.
“It has been wonderful for our local builders, as well as our economy,” Howe says of the uptick in home building. “Some people are downsizing and selling their homes and other people are buying new homes. Traditional families are moving out of their starter homes and moving forward with going into a larger home and a larger development.”
For those seeking to buy a new home, getting the chance to work directly with custom home builders at an affordable price is a plus, according to Howe.
She says the homes under construction are a mix of smaller homes for older people and larger homes for families. Howe points out the Valley remains an affordable place to live, although with low inventory, the area properties sell quickly.
Howe believes people feel more confident about the economy, which has been up and down over the past decade. That confidence is leading to more construction and more infrastructure being built.
“Everybody talks about affordable housing,” Howe says. “I always say we have the most affordable housing across the country, so it’s a great place to call home.”
Editor’s note: This story is part of a larger report examining construction activity across the Mahoning Valley. Read the full story HERE.
Pictured at top: A home built by DeLucia Construction is among five custom residences featured in the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of the Valley’s Parade of Homes in Canfield.