The number of new houses under construction dropped last month, and continue to trail last year's building pace.
There were 38 single-family housing permits issued countywide in September, down from 49 issued in August and 55 issued in September last year.
So far this year, there have been 433 permits issued in the county, down from 804 permits issued through September last year.
Janet Jarrette of Legacy Homes in Ball Ground said the company has not pulled any permits this year.
"There is too much product on the market," she said, adding it costs too much to build a custom home when foreclosed properties are available at a cheaper price. "You can't compete with that."
Mike Shina, president of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Cherokee Chapter, said specialty markets, such as senior housing are doing OK, but the general market is still slow.
"There is no spec building," said Shina, who works for Windsong Properties. "Builders won't take the chance, and banks aren't going to let them take the chance."
He said there will be a pent-up demand for new construction once the amount of foreclosed properties has been worked through.
Kenny Down of Square Foot Design and Build said the market is "as low as it can go." He said builders will not build homes if people cannot buy them because they can't sell their current home.
"It is too risky," he said about building homes right now.
The county building department, which covers unincorporated Cherokee as well as the city of Waleska, issued 17 permits in September, down from 28 in August and 34 in September last year. The county office has issued 222 permits this year, down from 447 at this time last year.
Canton filled 13 single-family permit requests in September, up from 10 in August and down slightly from 14 in September last year. This year so far, the city has issued 54 permits, down from 112 at this time last year.
Woodstock issued six permits in September, up slightly from five in August and three in September last year. So far this year, the city has approved 64 permits, down from 94 at this time last year.
Holly Springs issued just two permits in September, down from six in August and four in September last year. The city has filled requests for 68 permits this year, down from 129 at this time last year.
Ball Ground did not approve any permits last month or in August. It has issued 25 permits this year, up from 22 at this time last year.
Nelson has not issued a permit in the county so far this year, nor did it issue any last year.
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