Developers anticipate building 350 new homes in the next 12 months in Manteca.

If that happens, it would mean 55 percent more homes would be built in the coming 12 months in Manteca compared to 225 homes from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

Community Development Director Mark Nelson said based on data and comments provided by builders that he is fairly confident there will be 350 housing starts.

He attributes it to the fact Manteca builders are in a position to be competitive as there are a number of new neighborhoods where the infrastructure was put in place and enough units sold to keep developers going.

It also helps that most Manteca developers either have held on to land for years or else work deals with property owners they purchase land from to pay them off as phases are developed.

A 350-home pace in a year’s time would rank as the eighth best year for Manteca housing starts in the past 25 years. It would also reflect 62.5 percent of the last 10-year annual average of housing starts in Manteca including the year 2000 when there were 1,074 new housing starts.
Manteca also benefits from having a Del Webb community that is still in the building and selling stage.

Del Webb – a division of Pulte Homes - has consistently led other Manteca developers in new home starts since the housing market peaked three years ago.

In the past few months, builders such as Atherton Homes with their Union Ranch Summit Collection have seen an uptick in buying activity. The buyers are unlike those that were keeping the new housing market going in the initial year after the mortgage crisis started a downward slide in housing.

New home buyers were looking for small homes back in February 2008 when the typical new home permit in Manteca was for a 1,577-square-foot home. By May of 2008 the average size of a new home being built climbed up to 1,760 square feet.

Today, a typical new home start in Manteca is averaging 2,768 square feet.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, e-mail dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com