Number or permits issued by year

Courtesy of Point2.

Homebuilders took something of a breather on new-construction activity in 2022, the first year to see an annual decrease in permits nationwide since 2012.  

Specifically, the number of permits for single-family and multifamily residences increased every year between 2012 (with 829,658 permits) and 2021 (with 1,736,982 permits) before sliding to 1,652,078 in 2022, Point2 said. 

Among 56 large cities surveyed, Atlanta was one of 22 that bucked the national trend, with new residential building permits rising 19% to 47,202, putting it in fifth place among large metros by permits issued. Only the Dallas, Houston, New York and Phoenix metros saw more permits issued. 

Courtesy of Point2.

By state, Georgia also stood out, with permits rising 14% year over year to 76,682. The Peach State ranked fifth by the number of permits issued, just behind Texas, Florida, California and North Carolina. In all, 18 states had year-over-year increases in permits in 2022, while 32 had decreases. 

Nationally, last year’s drop in permits can be attributed to the single-family sector, which saw permits fall from 1,115,360 in 2021 to 972,180. Multifamily permits continued to climb, rising from 568,769 to 627,163. 

Courtesy of Point2.