Sarasota-Bradenton housing starts leap 70%

Single-family housing starts in the Sarasota-Bradenton region increased 70.8% year-over-year in the second quarter, according to new data.

In total there were 970 single-family units started in the most recent quarter, reports Metrostudy, a housing data and consulting firm that tracks housing starts nationwide. That's up from 568 units in the 2012 second quarter. Moreover, the annual start rate compared with last year, says the Metrostudy report, increased 50.2% to 3,219 annual starts.

The improvement in housing starts mirrors a trend in the decline of inventory in the region. (http://www.businessobserverfl.com/section/detail/sarasota-homes-inventory-hits-10-year-low/)