Residential building permits surge past $400 million mark

Residential building permit values in Northwest Arkansas’ four largest cities topped $400 million through the first 10 months of the year.

According to information provided by each city, there were 1,469 residential permits issued through October in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale, up 8.8% from the same period of 2017. They had a combined value of $417.21 million, up 12.9% from the same period last year.

By city, compared with 2017 figures, homebuilding activity was up sharply in Fayetteville, was down in Springdale and was essentially flat in Bentonville and Rogers.

The building activity was heaviest in Fayetteville through October, where the city issued 570 permits with a value of $144.41 million. That’s up a whopping 71% from 333 permits and $79.97 million in the same period a year ago.

In Bentonville, the city issued 396 permits with a combined value of $140.62 million, an average of $355,101 per permit, which was tops in the region. The number of permits, though, was down slightly year-over-year from 406.

Rogers issued 289 permits valued at $74.47 million, down slightly from 292 permits and $80.46 million last year. In Springdale, residential building was down 32%, from 319 permits and $87.62 million last year to 214 permits and $57.71 this year.

Bella Vista permits totaled 231 through October, with a combined value of $59.72 million. That is well past the city’s 12-month totals of 194 permits valued at $50.32 million in 2017.