The city of  Friendswood issued 97 residential housing permits as of December 20th of last year. While 97 is substantially lower than the 205 permits issued in 2008, and the 282 issued in 2007, the numbers are slowly creeping up from earlier in 2009. The city had issued 33 residential housing permits since September, community development director Morad Kabiri said. Prior to then, just 64 permits had been issued this year.

Many permits have been for the master-planned community of West Ranch, an approximately 2,800-home development, while the rest have been scattered throughout the city, Kabiri said. Permits are starting to increase because builders have indicated that they expect potential buyers to continue having more success securing loans. Most have been for homes in the $300,000-plus price range.

“It’s still not like before, but they’re hoping that by the time that their products are on the ground that the market will have shifted more,” Kabiri said. “They’re looking out a good six to nine months to a year. They’re anticipating an even bigger change in the market.”